Winds of Change
by C0LT
Summary: With senior year beginning, Astrid Hofferson has the best life out of everyone in her school. She is considered to be the one of the most intelligent in the school, star of soccer team and dating one of the best football players. A project is assigned to her, forcing her to work with someone she didn't care for before. He shows her what she needs in life and what true love is.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first story and I will enjoy any feedback on it. This is mainly inspired by _A New Kind of Different_ but will have a different pace and a higher rating. There will be lemon(s) and some other features that I will not spoil. Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 1: A Day in the Life

It had been three years since Astrid had started high school and could not believe that her routine during the school week had never changed. Every day she would wake up in her room with a face that would make her wonder if her reflection in the mirror was actually real. However, once she brushed her hair and teeth she would look much like how everyone else saw her. A young woman that had piercing light blue eyes and blonde hair that was tied into a long braid and went passed her shoulders but not all the way down to her waist. She played soccer on Berk's High School Varsity team and was named captain so she had a very athletic body and was very curvy but that did not mean she was a pushover. She was called a Valkyrie for the way she moved across the field and would intimidate any man that would dare lay a finger upon her.

"I just want to have a decent day today. Just one Monday where I don't feel like I want to break something when I arrive home." Astrid said to her reflection.

She had decided to dress a bit warmer than usual as her phone read that the weather today would be sunny with a high around the mid-fifties. She wore a Navy Blue long sleeve shirt with gray jeans. A small silver sports watch was around her left wrist and she put on a pair of white sneakers. She grabbed her school bag and went downstairs and made herself a bowl of Cheerios. After that she placed her bowl in the sink and ran out the door. She was not surprised her boyfriend's car was rolling up as she stepped off the porch.

"Mornin' babe! Hope you have a kiss for me as payment for driving you." Shawn said.

Shawn "Snotlout" Jorgenson was her boyfriend and a tight end on the varsity football team. She had started dating a year and a half ago because at first she believed he cared for her, but as time went on she learned that he had different ideas. She found him constantly looking over her body and always found him having a grin that showed only a portion of his lingering thoughts. He was decently built due to his involvement in football, and other girls have commented that he was also "the biggest" in the school but Astrid speculated that he was a probably around the general average or tad above it. Not like she would ever want to see it considering she finds the dreams he tells her repulsing. The only reason she was still with him was because she was afraid of what people would do to her and that she would be left alone.

Astrid walked to his red 1980 Chevy Camaro and planted a kiss on his lips which took a much more dirty direction at Shawn's enforcement. She then walked around to the passenger side door and opened it, and sitting on the cloth seat. After putting her bag between her legs, she buckled her seat belt and Shawn raced down the road.

"I would prefer not to die Shawn, I still want to attend college and live a decent life!" Astrid said with a slight fear in her voice.

"Babe you are fine when you have me at the wheel. Don't you trust me?" Shawn said with an attempt to sound cute.

Upon hearing Shawn's words, Astrid formed a burning glare at him and had reached her point of rage.

"Trust you?! You are still in the deep end with me after that back to school bash at your house! You got drunk even after you promised me you wouldn't drink too much and would not stop putting your hands all over me even when I yelled at to stop you! So no, right now you are low on my list of people to trust!"

"Oh come on babe, you know you liked it. You know you can never resist me."

Shawn then took his right hand and reached down to touch Astrid's thigh. However, he was not successful as Astrid had slapped his hand away, and before she could do more, she was relieved as they pulled into a parking spot in the school lot.

Astrid had unbuckled, grabbed her bag, hopped out of the car and slammed the door behind her. She then took off as fast as she could to her locker.

"_Wish he would just once respect my thoughts! Great way to start my Monday migraine!_" Astrid thought to herself. She quickly found her locker and grabbed what she needed for her first period class which was AP History. With her binder and textbook in her arms, she walked to her classroom and sat in her normal seat. She opened her textbook and started writing some notes for the morning assignment. The teacher, Mr. O'Riley, had finally walked into the room and Astrid had hoped that her Monday morning would be redeemed with a simple advanced course, but as she would soon find out that her day would only get more interesting when the teacher opened his mouth.

"Good morning class! As you know, this is the third week of classes and we certainly have covered enough information on our first area of study. Because of this, I have decided to assign your first project of the year! You will each be paired up with a student from this period's class and will have to do research on a specific aspect of Norse history. Do not fear of being creative as something simple as a tiny screenplay would work. More information will be posted on my website. Now to announce who you will be working with and split up!"

Astrid was completely filled with dread. She hated that she couldn't pick a partner for this project. She looked around the room to see who she hoped she would get. All of her friends were not in this class as she was the most intelligent out of all of them, and she firmly believed that no one in the class could be as smart. However, upon hearing Mr. O'Riley speak the name of her partner, she would replace her dread with confusion.

"Astrid you will be working with Hunter on this project. Your assignment will be to research the Norse mythological beliefs of dragons and how they were described. How you choose to complete this assignment with a model of one, powerpoint, or even a fake documentary is up to you. You should know that this will make up a large portion of your first semester grade."

As he continued to read off the partners for the assignment, Astrid could not help but wonder who Hunter was. She noted that the name sounded familiar but she couldn't figure out if she knew him earlier in her high school years but nothing came to mind. As she continued to ponder, Mr. O'Riley finished naming off the partners and told everyone to split up and meet with their partners to discuss the project. She then left her thoughts and saw a young man in front her. She then went from confusion to deep curiosity.

The young man standing in front her was tall, around 6'1 while she was only 5'8. He had shaggy auburn hair that made him look like he had just gotten out of bed, but she thought it made him hot as hell. His skin had more color than her own, so she further deduced he had spent his time outside often during the summer months but not doing sports, as the man had a lengthy frame but he was no fishbone, noting that he had an ectomorph muscular build, perfect for his height. He had forest green eyes that she felt was calling to her, and behind them she saw creativity, adventure, and passion. She also took note of his facial structure, noting his jawline and nose, seeing how well balanced his face was. His outfit of the day was a dark green t-shirt covered by an open zipper black leather jacket with red lines down each arm. He also wore deep blue jeans and dark brown boots.

Astrid shook her head slightly to wake herself out of her trance and began to speak.

"Hey you're Hunter right? So before we start I just wanted to ask you if you are new to the school, as I've never seen you around before."

Hunter looked at her like she had two heads then responded.

"This some kind of joke Astrid? Cause if it is it's not funny at all. I know you hate me and wish you could forget me but this is low even for your standards."

Astrid grew wide eyed as she heard him speak. She then noticed the small scar on his chin and her jaw dropped open as the realization hit her. She could not believe he was the same boy that she knew from the end of the school year the previous year. Still staring at the man before her, she then said her realization in shock.

"HICCUP?!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright this is now up. I would love to hear feedback and I will edit this chapter based on said feedback. Chapter three is already in the works but I will edit this chapter before I post the next. BTW I got a few reviews on the story and I would like to say I love it. Feel free to message me suggestions and future ideas. I already have a dance planned for the story btw so don't suggest that. Sorry if these chapters seem too short but I'm going to increase the length when I feel more comfortable with the writing. And now onto the story**

Chapter 2: How Time Changes Some but Not All

Astrid could not believe what had happened only seconds ago. She was paired with a guy named Hunter who she thought she had never heard of before, only to find out that Hunter was actually Hiccup, considered to be one of the smartest and nerdiest students in the school and looked the part. After the summer, Hiccup was now a handsome young man, no a HOT young man who now had her attention. She wondered if the gods favored him over the summer. She couldn't resist her questions with fierce curiosity.

"Hiccup I couldn't recognize you! You look so different than the end of the year last year. What happened?"

Hiccup looked at her and he finally understood her earlier statement. His face went from angry confusion to calm understanding. He then formed a light smile and responded.

"It's fine I guess Astrid. I will admit you are not the only person to say that to me lately, however I'm surprised that my asshole of a cousin's girlfriend, the one that stands beside him and insults me along with his team, would forget who I am. Look, I know you probably hate me already but I'll try not to make you hate me more during this project. Now what is it you would like to do for this project?"

Astrid was shocked. The Hiccup she knew for the past three years must have lingered because as always, Hiccup was nice. She never understood why he was so nice to others even when they treated him so badly. A part of her actually regretted mocking and torturing him. However, just because he was being nice, did not mean that she would let him bring her down for this project.

"Listen Hiccup, I don't care how intelligent you are, I will not let you bring me down for this project. I have top marks in all of my classes and I don't need you fucking that up for me. I will probably be doing most of the research and how we use it will also be up to me. For all I care, you are just along for the damn ride. I will let you research with me but in the end I will have the final say on everything. Do you understand your role _Useless_?!" Astrid smirked knowing that she would be dominate in this project and would not let anyone bring her down.

However, she was expecting a simple reaction from Hiccup, a way of showing her that he won't interfere with her work. What she did not expect was his response to her.

"I'm one of the smartest people in this class and equal to you in intelligence. For the past three years the only reason why I let others walk over me was because I was afraid that you would only hurt me more. I realize that I am not what people want, but I don't care anymore. It is now senior year and at this rate I know you would probably never care for someone like me even though we were on good terms in our past. However, as you know, I am not the person to be mean to anyone. I think I should be a decent human being. So keep trying to knock me down, but I just hope you realize that one day, the torment of the past three years will all come back to hurt you."

Hiccup then took out a piece of paper and wrote some numbers down on it. "This is my cell number, I'm not trying to hit on you, so this will only be for the duration of the project. After it is finished I will only guess that you are going to throw it considering that probably having it in your phone is an eyesore to look at. Text me when you would like to get started on it."

After handing her the paper, the bell rang and the class was dismissed. Hiccup left first and walked calmly out of the room. Astrid stayed in her seat then left to go to her next class. She could not believe what Hiccup had said. Hiccup never stood up for himself and she would never dream that he would stand up to her. Something happened over the summer and whatever happened not only changed his appearance but also his confidence.

'_Why is this bothering me? Hiccup never stood up to me before and I always thought that if he ever did, I would just put him back in his place. But instead he left me near speechless and I couldn't understand why?_' Astrid continued to think but there was one thing she did not truly understand. And that was why the words he said actually damage her….

The day continued with Astrid not being able to spot Hiccup in most of her classes except for her AP Calculus class. Even though she always picked on him for being, well him, he was still the best student in the class. He never failed one test in the class and never broke a sweat when given a challenging question. Astrid always thought that she would one day surpass him in the course but as it would turn out, she never could reach that level. The bell rang signaling that it was now Astrid's lunch period. She grabbed her lunch from her locker and made her way to the outside seating area where her friends waited for her at their usual table. Her friend Rachel "Ruffnut" Thorston, a young platinum blonde girl with average build was sitting next to her twin brother Thomas "Tuffnut" Thorston who had a similar but slightly more muscular build. Next to where Astrid herself sat was her friend Heather, a young woman with a similar build to Astrid but instead had slightly less muscle. Heather and Ruffnut were on the soccer team with Astrid while Tuffnut was on the football team with Snotlout. As soon as she sat down, Ruffnut was the first to speak with some "news".

"So did anyone see that new kid around the school? I have some classes with him but DAMN is he hot as fuck! I'm thinking I should ask him to come to the party at Snot's place after the Friday night game. Then maybe get some alone time in one of the spare bedrooms…" Ruff said the last sentence with a sultry tone that did not go unnoticed by the rest of the group.

Heather then looked up from her sandwich to follow up on Ruffnut's proposal. "You need to stop hopping from guy to guy Ruff. You should really focus on one guy and actually date him. I think you will be soooo much happier when you do find a guy to go steady with, and besides he may be just as wild as you!"

"That's funny coming from you Heather. You don't have a boyfriend and so far you have no interest in any one that we know of so did you wanna say who you like?!" said Tuffnut.

Heather glared at the twin. "No one at this moment has caught my attention if that is what you are askin Tuff. Although I wouldn't mind someone nice and caring compared to what we are currently used to. Someone like…"

"Finn "Fishlegs" Ingerman? Or maybe Hiccup if he wasn't such a walking talking…"

But Tuffnut never finished his sentence as he saw a young man sit down under the tree close to their table. Ruffnut immediately jumped and began to talk to what she thought was the new kid, but Astrid knew who he really was.

"So you new here? Cause my name is Ruffnut and I was wondering if you'd like to know me better this Friday night. What do you say hot stuff?"

Astrid had to hold back a grin as she watched the exchange occur. The "new" Hiccup looked at Astrid with a "You haven't said anything?" look and he finally spoke.

"Sorry Ruffnut but you aren't the girl I'd party with. Maybe ask Fishlegs?" said Hiccup with a slight smile.

Everyone in the group except for Astrid grew wide eyed and their mouths opened and closed like fish out of water.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! USELESS IS THE HOT NEW KID?!" Ruffnut said with shock.

"That is now another person to add to the list of people who did not know who I am. Look I'm only here to talk to Astrid about our project in AP History."

Hiccup then turned his gaze to Astrid and she in return gave him a look that said 'speak then leave". Hiccup rolled his eyes, nodded his head, and got on with it.

"Look Astrid, I've got another personal project of mine this week and I would like to get started on this one soon. Can we begin Wednesday? You can pick where we work."

"Fine by me considering I have practice tomorrow and Thursday. We will work at my house. Unless your scrawny ass can't get a ride. Then I will come to you. Got it Useless?"

Hiccup then sighed and responded. "Sure. Fine by me your Highness. And I hope you realize I'm not as far as you may think right? I'm like three doors down from you. Yet again, ever since you became popular, you never did care about anyone but yourself! You should remember Astrid, unlike everyone else at this school, I remember who you once were."

At his response, Astrid and her friends' jaws dropped and stared at Hiccup. They always remembered Hiccup for his sass but that was usually under his breath. He never got bold enough to say it to anyone's face, until now that is. Leaving them, Hiccup turned and walked to a nearby table where Fishlegs sat. Everyone's shock wore off and they began to discuss what had just occurred.

"When did Hiccup have the nerve to talk back to me? He always stuttered and looked away!" said Astrid

"That is what is bothering you?! I'm more interested is when did he get looks like that?! His eyes are gorgeous and that jaw line is amazing! Useless or not I'd like a crack at him!" Heather said this with a surprised and seductive tone.

Astrid glared at Hiccup across the yard. He was bothering her in ways that she could not describe. It wasn't just his looks that caused it, it was his new attitude to everything. She broke her glare when Hiccup gave his own, but resumed when he turned back to Fishlegs.

"So you got partnered with Hiccup for a project? That is not bad at all Astrid, considering he has straight A's like you. Plus, I hear from people around the school that he has made some of the most creative and advanced projects the school has ever seen. Maybe working on this project won't be as bad as you think it will be?" Said Tuffnut.

Astrid still sneakily looking at Hiccup responded with "Yeah, maybe…."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here is Chapter 3. I'm getting more reviews and look forward to hearing more. Guys please don't be shy to give suggestions and help edit each chapter. I am only human and bound to make mistakes.**

Chapter 3: No Place like Home

Around 3:00 PM, Hiccup was happy that school had ended. He was still recovering from Astrid and her friends. Throughout the past three years in high school, he was constantly ridiculed for who he was. Even though he was one of the most intelligent kids in the school, he was always considered to be useless as he was not on par with the more athletic kids like Snotlout and his football goons. However his summer helped build him up in the muscle category. One job that helped build him up was working with Gobber in the auto shop. The Forge was what Hiccup and Gobber named the shop due to the stifling conditions that they had to endure as there was no air conditioning in the shop. Usually they left the bay doors open and let the breeze try to cool them down. Hiccup was able to grab a ride from Gobber to the shop during the week but needed his father to take them on weekends. As Hiccup was silent in the car, Gobber decided to open the silence to his words.

"So laddie, I saw your interaction with some of your cousin's friends. Did they really not recognize you? I mean I know how much you changed over the summer but seriously, they must have their heads so far up their own asses ha ha!"

Hiccup looked at Gobber and had a slight frown of his face.

"As much as I agree with you Gobber, it still hurts. Being tortured by them for three years really harmed me, made me feel like I should have just died and been forgotten. I mean how do people do that? Are they really that shallow that they think they can walk over others? I would love to change that. Thankfully, you and my dad really helped me over the summer. I spent time in the shop and learned how to restore cars. I mean after tonight, I can start giving Tyr a well-deserved test drive. And it would certainly shut my cousin up about his damn car and how I don't have one."

Gobber pulled into the parking lot of The Forge and parked the car. After putting it into park, he looked at Hiccup with a concerned look.

"Lad, do you still have a crush on her?"

Hiccup turned to Gobber and with sadness in his eyes gave his answer

"Yeah I do. I just wish she would regret causing so much pain and realize he is not worthy of her. Hopefully she can change, but then again I have been hoping for that for the past three years." He said this in a sad tone.

They both got out of the car and headed into the shop. Hiccup looked at the list of cars that needed repairs and began to work.

Hours passed and the list that was packed with the cars that needed repairs was empty. Hiccup was now covered in grease stains across his face and his clothing. He was happy that none got on his leather jacket. With all the work concluded, Hiccup walked outside after saying goodbye to Gobber and was met by a silver BMW M5. He hopped into the passenger seat and looked at the driver.

"Evening Dad, how was work today?"

Stoick "The Vast" Haddock was a large stocky man with red hair. He had a large beard that also had grey hair in it due to being fifty years old. He joked with Hiccup saying that the grey hair was caused by Hiccup. He had green eyes and had passed them down to his son. He was dressed in a business suit and looked tired in Hiccup's eyes.

"Hectic as usual Hiccup. With my upcoming run for congress I can't believe I haven't died of a heart attack. But knowing that your mother is safe while she is working in South America and with you having straight A's during your senior year, it gives me motivation to move forward. Besides, your mother and I would like to see grandchildren someday and she would never let me hear it down in the afterlife if I died before then."

Stoick was the mayor of Berk and had announced at the end of the summer that he would be running for congress. He was seen as a man who held the beliefs of the town. Although he was rich, he lived not in a mansion but a big suburban house. He never liked to flaunt his wealth and had also taught his son to be humble and appreciate the small things in life.

The father and son pair took off for home as the sky was getting dark. They spoke about how his cousin's friends reacted to him and Stoick was not shocked to hear this. He had kept his eye on his son over the three months of the summer and watched him grow. Years ago if someone had told him what he witnessed over the summer, he would have laughed at them. Originally, Hiccup and Stoick never got along most of the time. Valka was away saving animals across the globe and he was busy working in his office, never giving enough time for Hiccup and his inventions. But that all changed when a certain Wolf-German Shepherd hybrid came into the family and help build a father-son bond. The summer had completed what the dog had built and finally every interaction between the two had a smile and a laugh or two.

The pair had finally pulled into the driveway. They both got out and headed to the front door. Upon reaching the door, they heard a howling from behind it. Opening the door, Hiccup was greeted by his beast of a dog, who happily licked his face.

"TOOTHLESS! Im happy to see you too bud, but you know that your saliva doesn't wash out very well!"

Toothless backed off still having his tongue out and wagging his tail. Stoick looked and hiccup and raised one finger, his signal meaning how long dinner will take until it is ready. Hiccup and Toothless headed up to his room where he sat at a computer. Next to the keyboard was his notebook filled with sketches of things Hiccup has seen. He opened to a page and began to work on a sketch of a young blonde with piercing blue eyes. Toothless sat down and looked curiously at his friend.

"I know bud. I know she hates me and is dating my dick of a cousin, but for some reason I still like her. She has no idea what happened to me over the summer…"

Hiccup then closed the book and turned on his laptop. He began to research for the assignment, not caring what Astrid had said to him earlier. He was able to find five sources of Norse mythology alluding to dragons. He then questioned what Astrid and himself were actually gonna do for this project. As he kept planning on, an hour quickly passed and he headed downstairs for dinner. His dad had cooked two steaks, both medium rare. Both men and consumed the steaks and side dishes, talking about the elections and future assignments. This continued until Stoick brought up a new topic: Hiccup's car.

"Son, you gonna finish up Tyr tonight? I actually wanna go for a drive in it with you when it's finished. All you have to do is make sure the steering wheel is aligned right?"

Hiccup looked at his dad with a smile coming across his face.

"Yep, and I'm just as excited as you. Now I don't have to borrow Mom's car anymore. Hopefully people have seen the film "Gone in Sixty Seconds" or they won't appreciate how much time it took to redo the body panels and curves just so I didn't have to put on a body kit. Luckily it's also not an exact replica as the interior was my own design based on original models from the same year. But I gotta ask Dad, are you proud of the work I did. I know it was a lot of money to invest and I didn't want to disappoint…" Stoick then cut him off and had tears beginning in his eyes.

"Son, you don't need to ask that. I am so proud of you for all the work you did over the summer. If anything I should be thanking you for giving me the chance to make one of your dreams a reality. I still have guilt for the past and I have a lot of making up to do. Hiccup I could not be more proud of everything and I am so happy to have you as a son." He then whipped a tear from his eye and had a gigantic grin on his face.

"I will clean up here. Go finish Tyr and show your cousin and school what you can really do!"

Hiccup then rushed from the table to the garage and worked on Tyr. About an hour later, a magnificent roar was heard throughout the house, but could easily pinpointed from the garage. Tyr was finally alive and ready to cause jaws to drop.

Astrid had arrived home from Soccer practice. The coach was certainly something tonight, complaining about the game this Friday with the Bog Burglars. She had heard that their captain, Camicazi, was more aggressive than Astrid. By the time practice was over, Astrid and her team were covered in sweat. Snotlout was supposed to drive her home but instead had to drive Ruffnut home because she had hurt her ankle earlier in the night. So instead, Astrid was lucky enough to get a ride from Heather. The ride home was full of conversations about the game plans for Friday and how the party will go that night. Heather then began to wonder why Snotlout drove Ruffnut home as she thought her ankle was fine. Astrid had a bad theory that Snot had been cheating on Astrid with Ruff, but he wouldn't do that, right? I mean, Astrid may have lost interest in him, but he isn't stupid enough to cheat on her right? Astrid shook her head and pushed that thought to the back of her mind just in time to hear Heather being to talk about a certain young man she saw at lunch.

"So Hiccup got hit with the hotness stick over the summer. Even though he was wearing his jacket and shirt, I saw the muscles he was packing. I never thought he would get ridiculously hot, I mean he was cute before but now, thinking about him gets me bothered in all sorts of ways…."

"HEATHER WHAT THE HELL?! I mean sure he got hot but you think he is that hot?!"

"What's the matter Astrid, afraid I'll beat you to him?"

"Heather you know I'm dating Snotlout, what makes you think I am gonna go after him?"

"Simple, you gave him more attention today then you have given Snot this entire summer! Astrid I'm your best friend and even I see how unhappy you are with him. The only reason you are dating him is because you are afraid of what people will say and that he may hurt you. Trust me, I see where the wind is blowing for you…"

Astrid kept that conversation with Heather in her head as she showered. The hot water running down every curve of her body relaxing her muscles. She did notice this new Hiccup certainly had a quality to him that had her interest. Maybe she should do something regardless of what happens with Snotlout?

As she hopped out of the shower and got dressed, she heard a rumble from down the street. As she heard it, a reminder popped into her head.

'Didn't Hiccup say he lived a few houses down from me? If so, I wonder what that was?' she thought.

But she was too tired to keep questions in her mind, as she laid on her bed and began to drift off to sleep, wondering what would happen tomorrow….


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the delay but here is chapter 4. I have finals so I've been busy. Anyway, keep the reviews coming and I edited previous chapters to clarify some facts about our characters. Here is what I clarified in previous chapters.**

**1) Astrid is still a virgin**

**2) Astrid was not always mean and aggressive towards Hiccup.**

**Anyway, as requested, you will get more glimpses of the past in this chapter. Please review and leave suggestions and improvements to my writing. Now onto the chapter.**

Chapter 4: Then and Now

Astrid woke up Tuesday with a startle. Her alarm clock went off like usual and she quickly got a towel in hopped into a shower. She was still replaying the events from yesterday as the hot water hit her skin. She still found it hard to believe that Hiccup had changed so much. She remembered especially how he had the ability to talk back to her. She began to recall how Hiccup was in the past.

_*Flashback to Four Years Ago_

"_Hi, my name is Astrid! I just transferred to Berk Middle School West, I was originally from Berk Middle School East. What is your name?" A young blonde girl said._

_"Hunter but everyone calls me…...Hiccup….." A young auburn hair boy said _

_"Why Hiccup? You don't look like you have hiccups to me."_

_"Its cause I'm small. Everyone who picks on me gave me the nickname cause of it."_

_The young girl looked at the boy and slowly smiled_

_"They may pick on you, but I find your nickname to be cute. Do you wanna be my friend? I don't know anyone since I just got here."_

_The boy looked at the girl with hope in her eyes and an eager smile was now on his face_

_"I would love to. Although I don't know why you would want to. Are you sure?"_

_The girl looked at him with seriousness in her eyes and a smile appeared on her face_

_"Everyone needs a friend, regardless of who they are…."_

Astird snapped out of her memory and quickly finished her shower and got dressed for the day. She got dressed in a t-shirt and soccer sweatshirt, with a pair of jeans and sneakers and ran out the door. However, when she got outside she was not welcomed by a Camaro but instead by a Mazda Miata. It was silver and she knew who the driver was, Heather.

She walked up to the passenger side and got in. She then turned to Heather with a look that said 'I'm grateful, but why are you here?' and waited for a response.

Heather said "Snotlout woke up late texted me asking to grab you. Didn't give me a reason but I love talking to my best friend so I decided to do it anyway."

"He better have an explanation when we get to school because I'm so sick of his attitude lately. I'm very close to stuffing his head into a locker and bashing it to a thin paste."

Heather just rolled her eyes and drove away from the curb. Unlike Snotlout, Heather was a very safe driver. She didn't carelessly speed down the street like him and was not likely to run red lights. The duo finally made it to the school and in one piece. Astrid like the day before, got out of the car, got her supplies from her locker, and made it to her History class. However, unlike the day before, Hiccup was not in class. In fact, he wasn't in either of the two classes he shared with him. Her curiosity peaked during lunch where her friends sat at their usual table. She of course had to ask if they knew anything.

"Has anyone seen Hiccup today? I haven't seen him in the two classes I have with him. What about you Ruff?"

Ruff looked up from her turkey sandwich and swallowed. She suddenly had a carefree expression.

"Nope haven't seen him, but yet again I did come in late. On top of that, I really don't care Astrid and why should you? You are dating star football player Snotlout and I think he is better looking than his cousin…" She said with a smirk crossing her lips

Astrid looked at Ruffnut with a confused look. "Star player? He doesn't care half the time where the ball is on the field because he is always checking out girls in the stands and the cheerleaders, oh and when he does notice its coming for him, he catches but then is immediately tackled. So I wouldn't call him a star player…"

Heather then looked up from her cafeteria food and gave a look at Ruffnut similar to Astrid's before adding her own comment.

"Yeah Ruff. And may I remind you that just yesterday, you were dying to crawl all over him and wanted to have him under you this Friday night. Why the sudden change of heart? Did that car ride with Snot and his propoganda really change your perspective?"

Before Ruffnut could respond to either comment, a loud roar of an engine broke up their conversation. Others began to turn their heads as well. Astrid seemed the most intrigued by the sound as a realization came to her mind.

'_That is the same sound I heard last night before I went to sleep! What the hell is making that sound?'_

She turned her head to the parking lot where a car had just been parked. Everyone now noticed where her line of sight landed on and as soon as they saw what she did, their jaws dropped in awe.

Before them now was a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500. The car looked like the one from "Gone in Sixty Seconds" remake, except this car had some unique touches. The color of the car was not silver, but instead was a gunmetal gray. The racing stripes down the hood and side of the car were black with dark red on the sides. The grill was similar to the one in the film, but was now black chrome instead of normal chrome. The wheels were the standard wheels from 1967 GT500 but had a black powder coat applied to them. The ride of the car was low, but not low where it would be hitting everything or be stuck on a speed bump. No the ride was just lower than the standard ride height. The brake calipers were dark red. The windows were slightly tinted but not too dark where you couldn't see a shape of the driver behind the wheel.

The twins and Heather, along with almost everyone else in the courtyard, were staring in awe at the car. This one looked like the kind you would have on a poster in your college dorm room. Astrid also stared with curiosity as she always thought she would only see this car in her dreams and at car shows, never in real life. Based on her observation, someone obviously had built the car by hand and not bought it. The car's unique touches were obviously done by hand and not by someone in a normal auto shop. No, the person who built this car was careful, knowing it would be their master craft.

She then kept her eyes on the car while people all around her were beginning to whisper. They were all wondering who the driver of the car was. A new teacher perhaps? A guest speaker? Some were even speculating that a movie star had shown up. The whispers stopped when the rumbling engine was turned off. The driver side door opened and once again their jaws once again dropped.

The young man hopped out of the car wearing slate jeans and black boots. His torso was covered by a white t-shirt and black leather jacket. His eyes covered by black mirror aviators. But was most noticeable to everyone was the shaggy auburn hair that covered the person's head.

Tuffnut was the first to speak with awe dripping from his voice. "The person is Hiccup? THAT'S WHO DRIVES THE SMOKIN RIDE?!"

The courtyard was now a sea of conversation. Hiccup Haddock was now the driver of the sleek car that had appeared before them. One voice rose above the rest however, and it was directed to the driver of the car. As Hiccup locked the car, he also heard the voice.

"Hey Hiccup what took you so long? I see you finally got Tyr going!"

The voice belonged to none other than Finn "Fishlegs" Ingerman, Hiccup's best friend since freshman year. He was about 6'2 and was a husky build. He had blond hair atop his head and had a wide smile. For those who did not know about his soft spoken personality, they would have thought he was a linebacker for the football team. He was dressed in a Halo t-shirt and deep blue jeans with black sneakers.

Hiccup happily walked over to his friend and sat down. "Hey Fish, sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I was at the DMV getting Tyr registered. I finished him last night after dinner. I also took a test drive before I came here to make sure everything was in working order!"

Fishlegs smirked at his friend. "You certainly did test it I bet. Tell me what was the top speed today? You are still using the 428 V8 that you rebuilt?"

"Of course I am! Wouldn't be the same if I didn't use it, you should know that. And just so you know, the top speed I reached was about 169 MPH before my dad told me to slow down as he didn't want me to wreck the car after the hard work I put into it."

The two continued to talk about Hiccup's car, all the modifications and repairs that had to be done on it, including mending the body of the car. Luckily, frame was clean and had no signs of rust. Fishlegs was astounded by how much work was done on it. Smiles were exchanged as the conversation went on, from the failures of tuning the engine to simply making sure the leather was the best and most accurate to Hiccup's specifications. Eventually, a familiar blonde came over and announced her presence by clearing her throat.

"AHEM!"

Hiccup looked up and saw Astrid with an "I need to talk to you" look. He gave a glance to Fish who understood and got up and walked away. Hiccup then turned to Astrid.

"So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"First off, where in Midgard did you get that car?! It's amazing and I've never seen anything like it before. And from what I heard, is it really true you built that car? I never thought someone with the nickname Useless could actually-"

"You say it like you've said it all your damn life. Yet again after what you did to me, I'm not surprised you forgot all of the stuff that occurred in the past."

Astrid then noticed the pain in his eyes. She knew that she picked on him, but she never physically hurt him like Snotlout and his goons did. So what did he refer to? While she thought of this, Hiccup saw her look and understood what was going on, but decided not to comment on it at this moment.

"Don't bother with that now, what is it you have to tell me? Something about the project?"

Astrid broke her train of thought and finally remember why she had walked over.

"Right so as for our project, I found some sources, two to be exact and I have copies to give you."

She then pulled out two stapled documents and handed them over. As Hiccup glanced over, a small smile grew on his lips.

'_She still finds the smallest ways to amaze me…_'

"These are great Astrid, but it's funny you bring this up as I have five documents for you to read over. I was gonna wait till we actually were together tomorrow but I guess now is good as ever. I used some data bases and some contacts I have with museums around the archipelago and were able to gather transcripts of ancient texts."

He pulled out five stapled documents for Astrid and she took them with curiosity. As she began to read them, her eyes widened in amazement.

'_Incredible, he found this much information in the time we were apart and he finished the car. Reminds me of the boy I met seven years ago… although he has gotten significantly hotter….'_

Astrid blushed as the second thought came into her mind. She quickly snapped out of it.

"This is awesome Hiccup! Didn't know you had access like this. This should make our project incredibly accurate!"

"Umm thanks. I still have to translate some one that have not been transcribed yet. Anyway I know you have practice tonight and all so don't push yourself too hard."

Hiccup then looked at her and his face suddenly changed from one of happiness to one of pain. Astrid noticed this.

"Hiccup are you alright? You look like you've-"

"I need to go Astrid, I have to go to the office and get a pass."

Astrid watched as Hiccup quickly got up and speedily walked to the office. However, as he reached the door, he suddenly fell to one knee. Astrid gasped and quickly ran to him.

"Hiccup are you ok? Here let me take you to-"

'I'm fine. Please don't worry about it."

"Hiccup you look like you're in pain. Please just let me-"

"ASTRID, PLEASE LET ME GO! I CAN'T LET YOU.."

He paused on his last work and looked at Astrid. She gasped as she saw his eyes fill with pain. Both physical and mental pain. She was distracted long enough for Hiccup to escape her grasp and continue his walk. She was left with something tugging at her heart. But she pushed it down and walked back to her friends….

Astrid finished her day with the same weight on her heart that she felt at lunch. Something was bothering her about Hiccup and she just didn't know what. Normally she would brush it off and lock it away, but this time the pain she felt was too strong and she could not suppress it. She talked to her coach and was able to be excused for the day. Unfortunately, she was not able to secure a ride, so she was forced to make the walk home. She began to think about what her life was like with Hiccup in middle school.

'_Man class today was so boring, I thought I was gonna die in my seat!' said Hiccup_

_'Pffft I know right, that teacher sure is a pain. Wish she would stop going on about how her students don't respect her enough!' said Astrid_

_'Yeah, so hey Astrid, I gotta ask you something..'_

_'Sure Hic, what is it?'_

_'Well you've been at Berk West for a month now, so I gotta ask how do you feel here then compared to Berk East?'_

_Astrid pondered this question and then looked at Hiccup. He had a nervous look on his face but she was still able to see his adorable green eyes stare at her. She felt a warm feeling then smiled._

_'It's better than I hoped it would be! I was so worried I wouldn't be accepted here but luckily I was. I was talking to this guy and I think I heard someone call him Snotlout. Anyway, he seems like a nice person and….'_

_She trailed off and noticed that Hiccup had stopped walking and had a fearful face. He looked like he lost a piece of his soul. He then spoked with a soft and nervous voice, like he had been hurt._

_'He-he's my cousin Astrid…'_

_'Oh! Well he seems like he is a nice person, how is he with-'_

_'He beats me up Astrid, he gave me my nickname…'_

_Astrid looked at him with a puzzled look. _

_'That doesn't sound like the boy I met today.'_

_'You'll learn soon enough' said Hiccup._

_They both walked home in silence, unaware of the events that would unfold in the future…._

Astrid finished her flashback when a flash of light struck the cloudy skies. A roar of thunder followed with a rainstorm. Astrid was not prepared for rain as the forecast had no mention of rain. She held her backpack above her head and began to run. Her clothing was now pelted with raindrops as she ran through puddles. The winds picked up immensely and she was able to make it home after 10 minutes of running. By the time she reached her house, her clothing was soaked and she was shivering. She reached into her back pocket and felt nothing. A look of panic came across her face as she desperately looked for her house key. After five minutes she finally found the key and walked in. She set her stuff down and went in for a hot shower.

She walked out, got dressed in her pajamas and fell asleep. Her heart was still weighed down as she closed her eyes that night, looking to suppress painful sadness for another with her dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

** A/N: Hey guys! I apologize for the long wait. I had to spend a month settling home from college and dealing with my personal life. I've been dealing with a lot of my issues and I sincerely hope you can forgive me for such a long wait. I promise Chapter 6 will not take as long as all of my affairs have been settled. Once** **again, please feel free to comment and review in the story. All feedback is appreciated.**

**Before you read, I'd like to give a shout out to a devoted reader who helps keep my story's clear and point out if something needs fixing. So to CajunBear73, thank you for your reviews. I look forward to seeing your reviews every time! With no more delay, on with the story!**

Chapter 5: Healing their wounds

_It was a cloudy day, sun barely piercing the clouds in the sky. It was two weeks after a falling out between a young auburn haired boy and a young beautiful blonde and four months after they first met. The blonde had decided that she would find new friends to help ease her pain. Her friend Scott introduced her to some mutual friends that would soon become her own. At Berk Middle School West, she had begun to rise to high popularity status quickly which she knew that would take her to even more heights when she arrived to the high school. She had begun dating Shawn and believed she was actually in love and that he was as well. Until the end of the year came round, that's when she was forced to see the truth. _

_It was at a summer end of the year bash and school had finished only a few hours earlier. Right now, they were now going to be freshmen when September came around and that would be cause for celebration, especially for one Shawn Jorgenson. Astrid was one of many who showed up and she was around Shawn. However as the party died down and only the closest friends were allowed to stay around a fire pit, she had excused herself to go to the bathroom. On her way back she had heard the one thing she did not want to believe._

_'So Snot, when are you gonna finally do the deed with Astrid? It's been like six months and we wanna know how she is in bed.'_

_Snot looked up from the fire and gave a smirk. 'Give it time my friend, she hasn't totally fallen for my charms yet!' When she does though, I will have her constantly chasing the snot man! HAHA!'_

_Astrid had her heart sank into her stomach. She couldn't believe what had just occurred. She felt betrayed and hurt, her mind stuck in shock. She quickly called her Uncle Finn who was close by and he drove her home. As soon as she arrived at her house, she quickly ran up the stairs to her room and dove onto her bed. Tears were all that were there to comfort her as well as a blue parakeet who was currently asleep. She cried until her body could cry no more and sleep claimed her…_

Astrid woke up in a cold sweat. Reliving that memory was painful for her and she wanted to push it back into her mind. She got up and got dressed for the day. Once again she walked down the stairs and opened the door to find Heather waiting for her in her car. Heather looked up from the wheel and gave Astrid a response.

"Once again, he said something came up. I'm getting sick of his shit though, it's not fair to you. He should be treating you better than this!"

Astrid hopped into the car. Once she had buckled herself in, she gave a heavy sigh. Before they pulled away from the curb, they heard a familiar rumble and Astrid felt her heartrate increase. She poked her head out of the window and saw a familiar mustang stop at a stop sign. Hiccup was wearing his black aviators and gave the girls a wave. Then he put the car in gear and accelerated down the road. He wasn't as bad as Snot as he held control of his car and left no skid marks. Astrid pulled her head back into the car and began to smile softly. Heather noticed this and a grin spread across her face.

"I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time. Is there something you wanna share Astrid?"

Astrid quickly blushed a deep red before responding.

"HEATHER! Just get going before we are late!"

Heather chuckled and began to drive off. It wasn't before long that they arrived at the school parking lot. They found a spot next to Hiccup's mustang. Astrid got out and admired the car now that she had a closer look. Hiccup was always an opposite of Snot, even how they treated their cars. Snot's car was dirty on the inside and he barely kept it clean, just enough for passengers. The car also had a hint of alcohol, which always turned Astrid's stomach. However, when she glanced through the tinted window of the Mustang, she couldn't help but look in wonder. The car was pristine it would seem. No traces of trash or marks on the seat. She then looked at her watch and realized she had a bit of time before class, so she thought she would go find Hiccup. About five minutes later, she found Hiccup at his locker. She saw him taking off his jacket, which to her was in slow motion. Now Hiccup obviously wasn't muscular like a body builder, but she certainly loved what she was seeing. His lean muscular arms were not bulging like Snot's or the other football players. His shirt wasn't tight but she was able to clearly see a six pack of well-toned abs and a well build chest. She continued to stare.

_'I can't believe what is in front of me! Hiccup really is no longer a fishbone, and yet still doesn't want to show off to others? I really want those arms around me and maybe put his fingers to use-'_

She snapped out of her thoughts. When has she ever had dirty thoughts like that?! She certainly never had them with Snotlout or anyone else she met. Only Hiccup had caused her thoughts to go wild and now she was looking into her heart to see why her thoughts have changed.

She now looked up and saw Hiccup looking back at her. A soft smile appeared on his lips.

"Is there something wrong Astrid? You've been looking at me for quite some time. I just didn't want to say anything in case you wanted to hit me."

Hiccup's face then went from his smile to one of seriousness. Astrid noticed and returned to her original thoughts.

"Yeah I wanted to come over and make sure we are still working at my house tonight? Will you be driving over?"

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Then he turned his face back into a smile.

"Yes Astrid, but I'll need you to come pick me up from my job. You see I'm leaving Tyr in my personal garage after school and Gobber will be taking me to work but can't drive me back. There any way you can pick me up?"

"Wait you work in The Forge? I never knew that. I can ask Heather for her car tonight. Then when we are finished you can walk home. Does that work?"

Hiccup smiled "Yes that works perfectly, but I may have to go back to my house for a shower. Is that alright? I'd rather not smell like grease and oil around you." He chuckled at the last bit while Astrid blushed when the picture of Hiccup standing naked in her shower came into her mind.

"That's fine so long as traffic isn't bad. I'll let you use mine instead so bring everything you need."

It was Hiccup's turn to blush when he heard her. He was about to respond when a loud voice interrupted them.

"USELESS WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Snotlout was coming down the hall with Ruffnut next to him. Both of their hair was messed up a bit but it was windy outside that day. Snotlout grabbed Astrid and yanked her back. Astrid felt pain in her right arm then got mad.

"Snotlout let go of my arm. You're hurting me and I certainly can handle myself."

Snotlout turned to her and his face was twisted in confusion.

"Babe I was just making sure that fishbone here wasn't going to bother you. Besides I don't like when my girlfriend talks to a loser like-"

Astrid glared at him and was about to say something but Hiccup quickly raised his hand to stop her. He then began to speak up.

"Snotlout I was talking to Astrid about our project for one of our classes. It's not like she has an interest in me. And second of all, I doubt that you hold any power over her because she has demonstrated on multiple occasions that she is more than capable of doing things herself. So how about you let go of her before she knocks you down."

Astrid was surprised to say the least. Hiccup would never stand up to Snotlout before but now she clearly heard him do so. She felt a warm feeling of happiness seep into her heart, slowly warming every part of her body except where Snot's hand was on her arm. She then felt his hand let go and warmth soon followed.

"Remember your place Useless! Stay away from her, or else! Let's go babe."

As Snotlout and Ruffnut began to walk away, Astrid looked at Hiccup and saw a familiar face. It was the face she made this morning in the mirror, the face that is experiencing a painful memory. She then saw him look at her, and walked away with speed and confidence. She reached out for him but as soon as she touched him he turned his head and grabbed her hand. He then realized what he did and quickly let go and apologized. She looked at her hand and put it down. Whatever she did to him in the past she had to rectify and fast. She couldn't go on without being friends again, not after he stood up for her and himself. She had to find out what was going on.

After school had ended, Astrid had gotten permission from Heather to use her car while she waited at Astrid's house. About two hours later, Astrid had driven the car to The Forge and thought she would be waiting for his shift to be over. Instead she found him finishing under the hood of a car and when he turned around, she knew that a divine power was certainly tempting her.

Hiccup was dressed in deep blue jeans and black boots. He was wearing a mechanic shirt that had his name Hunter written on a patch on the left side. His shirt was dirty and had grease stains all over it. But Astrid mainly noticed that his shirt was completely unbuttoned revealing his chest and abs to her in the flesh. Her eyes were wide, looking at the sweat that caused his chest to glisten in the evening sun. She once again couldn't believe how much he had changed over the course of the summer, though she still knew he was still the Hiccup she knew all those years ago. However, it took all of her willpower to keep calm and not jump him there in the hot garage. He walked over to the office and grabbed his school bag and a small duffle bag. He then walked over to the car, opened the door, and sat in the passenger seat. He quickly buckled up and put his bags on the floor. He smiled and turned to Astrid.

"Thanks for the ride. I guess I should also be telling Heather that as well when I see her again?"

"Don't worry you will be getting the chance sooner than you think. She is currently waiting at the house because she needs to get her brother Dagur from the airport. You remember him right?"

Hiccup's smile grew slightly wider and he chuckled a bit.

"Remember Dagur? Of course I remember him! He is one of the only football players who was friends with me. Called me 'Little Brother' all the time. God I should give him a call later and see if we can hang out."

Astrid chuckled a bit too. She had never seen Hiccup so happy about remembering the past. Until she remembered the other day, when they were going over the research they did for the project. She just smiled at him then continued back to the house.

When they had finally arrived, Heather was waiting and seemed a bit irritated.

"What the hell took so long? Was traffic-"

She stopped and stared at what Astrid had encountered earlier. But unlike Astrid who had simply looked and blushed, Heather got close to Hiccup and Astrid saw he was clearly nervous.

"Wow Hiccup, you certainly like to hide all this under your clothes. I wonder what else you're hiding…"

Heather slowly took her hand and was about to touch Hiccup's crotch, but Astrid had intervened and stopped her hand, forcing an iron grip that caused Heather to pull her hand back.

"OW ASTRID! I was just joking! That really hurt.."

Hiccup then looked at Astrid and gave a silent thank you through his eyes. She gave a soft smile in return.

"I better get Dagur before he gets mad. See ya later guys!"

She then hopped into the car and sped off. Hiccup rubbed his neck nervously.

"Now, Ill head back to my house and-"

"You aren't going to your house. You're gonna take your shower in my house considering the traffic was bad on the way home."

Hiccup slowly nodded and followed her inside. The house was an average two level suburban house. He quickly followed her up the steps and they soon found themselves in her room. Astrid pointed to the door right next to her bed.

"That is my personal bathroom, you can use that to take your shower."

Hiccup's face went from tired to shock. He started to sputter.

"A-Astrid, don't you have a guest bathroom I can use? T-There is no need to let me us-"

Astrid held her index finger to his lips and got close to his face. Although he was sweaty, Hiccup smelled like leather and a personal musk that Astrid found herself intoxicated by. She stared deep into his eyes and almost lost herself in them. She quickly regained her composure and responded.

"I want you to use it. Relax it won't kill you and it's not a big deal. Just go use it and let's get started."

Hiccup nodded and went inside the bathroom. The door shut and Astrid began to open her research notes for the project. About five minutes later, the water shut off and Astrid heard an angry and worried shout.

"Oh no no no. NOT NOW!"

Astrid quickly went over to the door and knocked on it.

"Hiccup are you ok? I heard you shout."

"A-Astrid I'm f-fine! I just packed shorts for my change of clothes and I'm upset about it."

Astrid then was puzzled. Why did it matter if he wore shorts or jeans?

"Hiccup come on we gotta work. Lets go!"

"A-Astrid please don't make me come out like this. You aren't ready for this.."

"Hiccup either you come out or I'm coming in!"

'A-Astrid p-please wait-"

Astrid was not going to wait. She took a spare key and opened the bathroom door. What she saw before her certainly was unexpected.

Hiccup had a crimson tank top on and had dark tan cargo shorts. But the thing that surprised her most was a custom prosthetic leg where his left leg once was. The leg was custom built, having the same measurements and shape as his right leg. However, it was not made from plastic, instead made of a special metal. The ankle for the leg was made of a special material and not metal parts. It looked however that it did not restrict his movements in any way. The leg was not tan colored but instead a dark silver.

Hiccup's face was now filled with a mixture of fear and rage. However, rage was more dominant as he then looked at Astrid. Her face was full of surprise and was barely able to speak.

"H-Hiccup what happened to your leg?! When did this-"

"It happened three fourths of the way through junior year."

Astrid then saw pain take over his face. She then realized she would get more than she bargained for in this answer.

"One night on the highway, I was driving home from Gobber's shop in my mom's car. The police were chasing a drunk and aggressive driver on the eastbound side. I guess the driver thought he could get away if he crossed the middle. He did, but in order to prevent him from harming a family who was closer, I had turned into him slightly, and he crashed into me. My mom's car was demolished at the front, my left leg was pinned in the wreckage and unfortunately had to be amputated at the crash site."

Astrid felt tears begin to form in her eyes. How could she not have heard of what happened to him? How could she not care?

Hiccup continued. "I was in a medically induced coma for three days so my leg would have time to heal. When I woke up, my father was at my side and my mother was on a video call so she could see me. My mother had tears in her eyes and my father was choked up. A doctor and officer later came in and said without my intervention, the family of five that was originally going to be hit would have been killed in the crash. The doctor said I would be moved up the list for a prosthetic but I respectfully denied as I've seen the ones they built and knew that I would not work for me. So I built my own made of Carbotanium which made it lighter and more durable."

Astrid was beginning to speak, tears flowing down her face. "Hiccup why did you not tell anyo-"

Hiccup then became furious. "WHY DIDN'T I TELL ANYONE?! YOU THINK I WOULD LET SCOTT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND LET HIM USE IT AGAINST ME? OR MAYBE LET RUFFNUT CONSIDER ME TO BE EVEN MORE OF A FREAK NOW?!"

Astrid then became angry herself. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"

Hiccup then paused with a face of disbelief. "Do you remember what you said to me Astrid? What followed that?"

"Hiccup what are you talking about? I never harmed you like Snot did!"

"WHAT YOU DID WAS FAR WORSE! I spilled my feelings to you, tried to make you see who Snotlout was, but instead you said 'How could I ever fall for someone so useless as you?!' My heart was shattered and my mind was in shock. My best friend had turned on me because she wanted to be popular! And then, while you may not have hurt me physically, you ignored me and verbally insulted me. While it may have seemed harmless and great for you it nearly pushed me to a breaking point!"

Astrid's memories came flooding back. She remembered the fight she had with Hiccup before the summer and how broken he looked when she smirked and walked away. She remembered torturing him whenever he crossed paths with her. She remembered how kind hearted he was to her and how she through it back in his face. And worst of all, she remembered that he told her he liked her, and she laughed in his face for it.

Astrid could no longer hold back. Tears came running down her face. She felt instant regret for what she did and now she had to fix her mistakes.

"Hiccup I'm so sorry. I never should have left you. You were the nicest person to me and I threw that back at you. I can only hope you will forgive-"

"I forgive you Astrid."

Astrid was shocked to say the least. She felt a rollercoaster of emotions and yet she had to ask why.

"Why did you forgive me? I did so many terrible things-"

"Because deep down I knew the Astrid Hofferson I first met was still inside your heart. And this moment proved me right.."

Astrid couldn't help but give a tearful smile to Hiccup. They embraced in a hug that felt like it was forever. All of their wounds were healed. But the puzzle that is their hearts has yet to be complete. Once they ended the hug, they had worked on the project for four hours, all while laughing and catching up. Smiles were constantly warming each other and laugher filled the room. Eventually, when they had finished and Hiccup left, Astrid took her shower and went to bed that night knowing that most of the darkness that clouded her heart and mind, was now alieved by the light. And that light was Hunter 'Hiccup' Haddock.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys. Once again I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. Once again the game of life decided to put obstacles in my path and thus delaying the chapter you're about to read. Now before I get reviews telling me "Stop apologizing, it's normal for this!" I wanted to say that I actually love receiving notifications telling me I have positive reviews from you guys and that some have decided to follow and favorite me and/or my story. So as a way of saying thank you and compensating you for a delay, I have decided to write this chapter and the next one! This means that this story will be posted tonight and the next one may be as well. If the next chapter isn't posted tonight, it will be posted the next day. Once again, please feel free to review and provide story suggestions. Also, I'm not going to demand this or anything but if any of you guys love to draw fan art, I wouldn't mind seeing some fan art for the story and if I really enjoy it, I will happily make it the cover art for it. As always guys, I can't thank you guys enough for the smiles you give me. Without further delay, lets continue shall we?**

Chapter 6: Turning Point

Astrid had awoken the next morning with a newfound feeling in her heart. She no longer felt like her heart was causing her to sink to the bottom of a sea or into the core of the Earth. No, Astrid had instead felt a feeling like she was being lifted up into the clouds. She kept replaying the hug with Hiccup from yesterday in her mind. In the moments she was embraced with him, she truly felt happiness, something she hadn't felt in a long time. When she had gotten out of bed, a smile had spread across her face. She quickly took her shower and got dressed for the day. Her outfit was a navy blue V-neck t-shirt that showed some cleavage and light blue jeans that hugged her figure nicely. She finally felt positive enough to wear something like this, as the last time she wore an outfit similar, Snotlout could only stare and compliment how nice her ass looked in those jeans and asked if he could see it without them on. She quickly threw that memory to the back of her thoughts as they were only focused on one person, and it certainly was not Snotlout.

She grabbed her backpack and gym bag and walked out the front door. Once again like the days prior, Heather was the one waiting for her and not Snot, this time however she was happy that was the case. She walked to the car's passenger door and hopped in. Heather noticed the smile on Astrid's face, put the car into drive, and began to drive to school.

"Good morning Sunshine! Do you mind telling me what has you in such an amazing mood? Because whatever it is, I'm gonna need it too for practice tonight. Coach is really harping on this game with the Bog Burglars. So spill girl!"

Astrid then turned her head and looked at Heather. Her response only peaked more interest.

"Nothing really, I just woke up in a really good mood and had an amazing night sleep!"

Heather then looked at Astrid with a look of slight confusion. "I doubt you had a good night sleep unless one of two things had happened. One, you finally had some weed which we both know you will never do considering how much of a straight shooter you are. Or you had finally broken up with Snot. So did you?'

Astrid's smile quickly turned into an annoyed face. "No I haven't broken up with Scott. Though I'm getting fed up with his bullshit. Which reminds me, did he actually tell you to get me?"

Heather then gave her own smile. "No I actually wanted to pick you up today, as I wanted to know how your project with Hiccup is going along. Considering how you acted earlier in the week, you certainly hated the idea. From what I saw however, I don't know how you could ever hate a man that has such a well-defined six pack. So how did it go last night?"

Astrid then began to blush lightly. "The project is going really well for your information."

Heather than began to smirk. "Is the project all you did? Or maybe you wanted to get a better look without his shirt on?"

Astrid began to blush a deeper shade of red and pulled Heather's ear. "HEATHER! I CERTAINLY DID NOT!"

"OW ASTRID I BELIEVE YOU! I'M JUST MESSING WITH YOU! PLEASE LET GO!" Astrid let go of Heather's ear and the two changed subjects.

"So how do you think practice is gonna go tonight? Coach is really pushing us huh?"

Astrid then pondered for a moment before responding. "Practice is gonna be rough and for good reason. We have been constantly defeated by the Bog Burglars and always been humiliated. This year however seems different. Considering that all the other teams are starting to do well except for football, Coach wants us to break our streak with them. I think that if we do well tonight, the game tomorrow will be in our favor. So I'll suck up the pain from tonight and use it for our advantage."

Heather just nodded her head and gave a slight smile. A few moments later, they pulled into the school parking lot and again found a spot next to Hiccup's car. As soon as she laid eyes on the car, Astrid began to feel a warmth engulf her heart. She couldn't stop staring at it until Heather knocked on her window. She got out of the car and headed to her locker so she could get ready for her first half of her schedule. However, when she laid eyes on it, she noticed that someone was standing next to it. As she walked closer, her face twisted into one of disgust as she realized it was Snotlout. Once she got to her locker, Snotlout began to speak.

"Hey baby, you miss your boyfriend?"

Astrid rolled her eyes and responded. "The boyfriend who hasn't picked me up for the last two days? The boyfriend who thinks that his girlfriend isn't able to take care of herself? Yeah, sure whatever."

Snotlout then grabbed her shoulders and turned her body to face him.

"Oh come on baby, you know how busy the Snot-man is. I do have a party to plan for tomorrow after the big game. Plus, these muscles don't magically stay in shape, I gotta work to keep them so you can look at them."

Astrid once again twisted her face in disgust, she couldn't believe what had just come out of Snotlout's mouth.

"Look Snot why don't you leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to talk and I certainly don't want to get in the way of your date with the weights. I understand you're busy and I certainly don't want to hold you up."

Upon responding, Astrid turned her head and began to walk toward her first class. She didn't even respond to Snot saying how he could "make it up to her" with one night in a bedroom. As she turned the corner she saw Heather. She quickly ran up to her and Heather looked curious.

"What's with the face Astrid? You were in a much better mood in the car."

"Snotlout is what happened. Once again thinking with his muscles and dick instead of his brain."

The two girls laughed at this and then headed off in their own directions for first period. Astrid got to her class room with a few minutes to spare. Once she walked in, she found Hiccup sitting at his desk and sketching something into a book. From what she could tell it was of a girl. Astrid began to walk closer.

"Morning Hiccup, what are you drawing?"

Hiccup then went wide eyed and shut his book. This got Astrid's curiosity even more.

"Hey-y A-Astrid. Just doodling ya know."

"Doodling huh? Would you mind if I could see it?"

Hiccup then began to look a bit pale.

"Maybe another time Astrid. I haven't finished this one yet."

Astrid looked at Hiccup and gave a small smile.

"Sure Hiccup, take your time. I wanna see the masterpiece not the work in progress."

Hiccup gave a smile and the two laughed. Then class began and the two began to look up more sources on their project topic. However, Astrid couldn't stop stealing glances at Hiccup while he worked. She felt her heart get warmer and warmer with every second that passed. When the bell rang, Astrid was back in a fantastic mood, all thanks to being in Hiccup's presence.

When Astrid had arrived for lunch, Heather and Tuffnut were already waiting at their table, but Ruffnut was nowhere in sight. When Astrid sat down at the table, Tuffnut was the first to provide a reason.

"Ruff said that she had some type of work to do today with a teacher, which I find funny considering she hates school and ignores her homework till the last minute, but if her grades are that bad then I guess she is in dire need."

Astrid huffed and nodded in response before chewing on her sandwich. She looked around the courtyard until her eyes landed on a young man with auburn hair and green eyes sitting under a tree and drawing in a leather bound book she saw earlier in the day. She smiled and decided she wanted to be close with him once again. She was going to invite him to the table but quickly noticed that Heather and Tuff were too busy looking at their phones and talking about the party tomorrow. So she then decided it would be better if she just sat next to him. She quickly got up, walked over to him, and sat down before he could notice. She then tapped him on the shoulder, getting a look of surprise in response.

"Astrid! Why are you deciding to sit next to me at lunch, wouldn't you rather be talking to your friends?"

Astrid gave a light punch, not to harm him but to make it sting so hopefully he won't say it again. "Shut up Hiccup, you are my friend. And as for those two, they are too busy talking about the party tomorrow. So you drawing again? And if so am I allowed to see what you're drawing this time around?"

Hiccup smiled and turned the book to show her. Astrid's jaw dropped to the ground when she saw what he had drawn in the book. The drawing was of a man and woman looking over a city skyline. Every detail in the picture made it seem like it was real life. From the shadow on the faces of what she assumed was a couple, to the shadow contrasting on the skyscrapers. Everything pulled you deeper into the picture and made you feel like you could step into that reality. Astrid then had a wide smile on her face and was beginning to tear up at the drawing.

"This is beautiful Hiccup! I had no idea you could draw pictures like this! If this just something you draw on a daily basis, then what can you do if you focused on one person at a time?"

Hiccup rubbed the back of his head and gave a small smile. Astrid noticed the blush appearing in his cheeks and smiled back. When he saw her smile, Hiccup's heart gained an identical warm feeling to the one Astrid had in hers every time she was around him.

_'If only she knew how much I loved to draw her. Unfortunately, I just don't have the confidence right now to show her. I only just got her back into my life yesterday and the last thing I want is to lose her again. I just wish she could see what I see….'_

Astrid noticed Hiccup was staring out of space a tad. So she decided to give him the Hofferson wakeup call. A swift punch to his arm knocked him out of his thoughts and brought him back to reality. He then began to rub his arm and felt a bruise start to form on his arm.

"OW! Ya know if this is how our friendship is gonna be, you're gonna owe me some armor!"

If there is one thing Astrid had missed, it was Hiccup's legendary sass and sarcasm. She began to laugh and sure enough he was lauging with her. Astrid from this moment knew that as long as she had Hiccup in her life, she could happily smile without a care in the world…

By the time practice had finished, Astrid was exhausted. Although the minute she looked at her phone, she began to smile wide. Hiccup had texted her a lengthy text saying that while she is prepping for the game, he would be making significant progress on the project so she could take it easy and focus on the game. He also said how he enjoyed spending time at lunch laughing and catching up on the past few years of high school. With warmth in her heart, Astrid was on cloud nine by the time the sandman had taken her to the realm of dreams…..

**A/N: Guys I apologize that this chapter is short and may not seem as well written as others. The main reason is because a lot of the juicy details is in the next chapter. I almost wanted to make a time skip, however I thought this chapter could focus on how the events of the previous chapter and how that has had an effect on Astrid's behavior. So, I am mostly going to rewrite this chapter but I need YOUR help! I really need the creative suggestions on how to improve this chapter of the story. So leave reviews or if you really want to talk with me, please feel free to message me privately as I will respond ASAP. Remember guys this story is nothing without you and I look forward to reading your reviews. And as promised, the next chapter will be up tomorrow! (Well later in the day actually as by the time I post this it is actually 2:53 AM) **


	7. Chapter 7 Part 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Well we have finally approached the chapter we have been waiting for! But I owe you a reason why it took so long to write it. I realized that this chapter was going to be too long and that it may not look right. So this chapter will be broken into two parts. I hope you guys understand and can forgive me for the delay. I have a day off tomorrow so I hope part 2 will be released on time. Also I really wanted to thank you guys for your continued support! I really can't do this stuff without you. Hopefully this chapter will make up for the previous one as I know many found it too short or felt like I had trouble writing it. If anything guys, I will rewrite it at a later date but I would love more input from you guys! So please message me and give me ideas to help improve it! Without further delay, let's continue the story!**

Chapter 7: Riptide

Astrid had woken up the next morning fully refreshed and ready to fight. Today was the day against the dreaded Bog Burglars, their main rivals for the past five years. As per the tradition at Berk High School, an annual pep rally was being held today and the school day was a half day. However, as an added bonus, most teachers in the school didn't even teach that day and allowed the students a free period instead. Most of the time, Snot would always try to make out with Astrid during their free periods before the pep rally, but would be put to a halt by a swift right hook to his jaw. Astrid would then take the time to usually talk with her friends and talk about what they should do after the game. This year, the plan was a big party hosted by Snotlout at a beach house where alcohol was bound to be served. This year, she would try instead to talk with Hiccup and ask him what his plans are for the day, and hopefully he would be at both the game and the party in the evening….

Astrid rolled out of bed and took a quick hot shower. Once she got out, she then put on her team jersey and a pair of black leggings. She tied her white converse and walked outside to be greeted by Heather, in similar attire. Astrid hopped into the car and buckled in.

"Alright Heather, its game day! You ready for tonight?"

"Astrid, as long as you're leading the charge, I'll always be ready to kick ass!"

Both girls then fist bumped, laughed, and headed off to school with the windows down. Astrid turned on her Bluetooth and began a rock playlist. The first song that played was 'American Girl' by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers as they drove down the streets and eventually hit Main Street. Eventually, they approached an intersection with a red light and stopped. The girls chatted for a bit how classes were going so far for them until an all too familiar engine roar was heard. Astrid looked to her right and spotted Hiccup in his 1967 Shelby GT500 windows down. Hiccup was once again wearing his black mirror aviator sunglasses and leather jacket. He turned and lifted his sunglasses and flashed a lopsided grin that only he could pull off.

"Morning ladies! How are we today?"

Astrid smiled and looked into his eyes.

"I'm amazing this morning Hiccup! And from what I can tell you're the exact same way."

Hiccup chuckled

"Well that's only because of some amazing events that have transpired recently. Anyway, you feel like you're ready to finally put the Bog Burglars in their place?"

Astrid and Heather turned to each other, smirked and said their answer in unison.

"HELL YEAH WE ARE!"

Upon hearing this, Hiccup laughed. Astrid's pulse quickened upon hearing it and time for her seemed to slow down as she watched his chest go up and down as he laughed. She couldn't tear her eyes away as her heart was once again surrounded by warmth.

"Well girls, we should really get to school. Astrid, if you aren't too busy before the rally, I would love to hang with you for a bit, so please feel free to tell me what period works. Anyway, see you at school!"

As luck would have it, the next song in the playlist was 'Kickstart My Heart' by Mötley Crüe. As the light turned green, Hiccup teared away from the line and accelerated down the road. Astrid's heartbeat accelerated as well, watching in slow motion his hair being swept back by the wind and a smile on his face. When she was pulled back to normal time, Heather also took a moment before accelerating from the line, but was not speeding like Hiccup. The eventually arrived at school and once again parked next to Hiccup's mustang. They walked into the school and saw that the hallway was covered in decorations and posters of the team. Astrid smiled knowing that this year, the pep rally would be different considering now she could pass the time with Hiccup rather than Snotlout. When she put her stuff in the locker room, Astrid walked down the crowded hall ways receiving high fives and smiles all around her. She eventually walked down the hall and walked into her first period class. Hiccup was already sitting in his seat and smiling right at her with his patented lopsided grin. Her heart was once again melting at the sight of him and unlike other days, she decided that today would be the day that she sat next to him instead of her usual spot. Not to mention, Mr. O'Riley wouldn't stop her as he was one of the teachers that gave her a pass. She walked over to Hiccup with a smile on her face and sat down in front of him.

"So Hiccup I wanted to ask you if you were gonna see me play tonight? I know that we just patched things up but I would really love if you could come and watch. Hell, I'll even arrange seats for you right next to the team if you'd like! So what would you…"

"I'd love to go Astrid! I was already planning on going but was beginning to think I wouldn't be welcomed. As always, you changed my mind!" Hiccup said with a smile and glint in his eye.

Astrid was overcome by happiness and felt like she could be in his arms for days. However, she was pulled out of her thoughts by the ringing of the bell. Mr. O'Riley walked in and luckily was able to calm the class down.

"Good evening everyone! I know that everyone is excited for tonight's game but we will have to do some light work on your projects."

Mr. O'Riley looked to Astrid and Hiccup and gave a small smirk that was unnoticed by everyone.

"Ms. Hofferson, considering you are one of our star players, you can use this time to go and relax. The game is probably the only thing that is on your mind today…"

Astrid blushed slightly but it was not unnoticed by Hiccup who just gave a small smile. Mr. O'Riley then looked at Hiccup with a smile.

"Mr. Haddock, don't think that you will be working alone today either. You are also allowed to go. I know about the "surprise" you have planned for later on today so please feel free to leave right now and finish some final touches…"

Hiccup smiled and got up before whispering in Astrid's ear "You're gonna love it. Can't wait to see how you react…"

If only he knew what was running through her had at that moment. Astrid's legs began to feel like jello when she felt his breath on her skin. Her light blush deepened, making it more noticeable. And she felt that if he had continued, she would need to change her underwear. As Hiccup left, Astrid felt a slight sadness, but was overpowered by a longing, something she has never felt before…

"Astrid, are you ok?" Mr. O'Riley asks.

Astrid had snapped out of her trance and had realized she was out of her headspace. Astrid had apologized and then got the rest of the class pumped for the pep rally. As she left the room and headed down to what everyone called "Bragi's Garden". It was an old courtyard that was run down, but with the help of some community service members, it was transformed into a small hideaway filled with cherry blossom trees, a small waterfall and fish pond, and a few benches. However, before she could get there, she was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Hey babe, have you come to kiss my heavenly lips? Or maybe you want something more?" said Snotlout

Astrid then growled in disgust. She quickly turned to face Snotlout.

"You know that every year you try this, I keep my answer the same. NO! And I'm getting really sick of your act lately! I'm not a piece of ass, no matter how much you think I am!"

Snotlout wrapped his arm around to try and grope Astrid's ass but she quickly socked him in the jaw.

"I said no! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"Pfft whatever babe, you won't be able to resist my charms soon enough. You know you wanna have all of the Snotman!"

As they parted ways, Astrid was overcome with anger. She couldn't believe that Snot would be treating her like she is someone's property. No one does that to THE Astrid Hofferson! However, as she found herself at the doors to the garden, she heard the strumming of a guitar. The chords quickly calmed her down and she opened the door just enough to see who was playing. Her jaw dropped in shock to see Hiccup strumming on a left-handed Gibson Hummingbird. As he played the chords, she heard lyrics of a song she never heard of but was easily captured by its lyrics.

**"I'm the one who wants to be with you"**

**"Deep inside I hope, you feel it too"**

**"Waited on a line of greens and blues"**

**"Just to be the next to be with you"**

As she heard the lyrics, Astrid's heart melted and all of her anger faded away and kept focus on the man singing in her sight. She decided that she couldn't wait outside and decided to enter the garden.

"If you sing like that all the time around me, you'll make me want to kiss you with tears of joy.."

Hiccup chuckled and turned his head to face her. Astrid decided to lean on a large rock in the garden with her ankles crossed as well as her arms. Hiccup gave a sly smile, put down the guitar, and walked over to Astrid. He then looked right into her eyes and said "Is that a promise? Cause if so, I'd love to make it reality..."

Astrid blushed a deep red as did Hiccup. Both quickly regained composure then shared a laugh.

"So I see we both share similar ideas on where to go and relax huh?"

"I guess we do, that isn't a problem for you is it?"

Hiccup smiled

"With you, never a problem."

Both sat down on the bench and Hiccup once again put the guitar around his neck.

"When did you learn to play guitar? That sounded incredible!"

"I picked up guitar about a month following my accident. I realized I needed a way to channel my emotions into something creative. This was before I started building Tyr and I needed something quick. So I decided to pick up guitar as my instrument of choice. Lemme tell ya, it wasn't easy, but I'm grateful that I did decide to learn it. Best part is I decided to learn on my own, so I didn't require a teacher or lessons of any kind."

Astrid was not really surprised about Hiccup doing things on his own, he was always that kind of person even when she first met him. If there was anyone who can pick things up fast without help, it was Hiccup.

Suddenly, a bell was heard and the two both realized that next period had begun. Luckily, both knew that no one would walk into the garden due to it being off limits for the day as a result of people trying to sneak off during the rally last year. The two quickly realized that the pep rally was going to occur in two periods.

"So is there anything else you can play? Maybe something a bit more recent?"

Hiccup pondered for a bit what he should play for Astrid. Until, the perfect song finally came into his mind.

"Do you know any Jason Mraz?"

Astrid smiled. She knew what song he had picked and she couldn't believe he remembered.

"**When I look into your eyes."**

**"It's like watching the night sky"**

**"Or a beautiful sunrise"**

**"There's so much it holds"**

Astrid then chose that moment to sing along with him.

**"And just like them old stars"**

**"I see that you've come so far"**

**"To be right where you are"**

**"How old is your soul?"**

Together in unison, Astrid and Hiccup sang the chorus with pure joy…

**"I won't give up on us"**

**"Even if the skies get rough"**

**"I'm giving you all of my love"**

**"I'm still looking up"**

After the chorus, the two stared at each other with hope in each other's eyes. However, a beep from Hiccup's phone cut through the moment like a knife. He looked at his phone and sighed. He put the acoustic away in a gig bag. He turned back to Astrid with a smile.

"Unfortunately, I have to go and finish my surprise for the rally. Although, I wish we could hang out more right now."

"I understand Hiccup. Besides, I'll be seeing you later won't I?"

Astrid asked her question with longing and hope in her voice.

"Absolutely M'lady. As you wish."

Before he could realize, Astrid pulled him into a tight embrace and after adjusting to her strength, he hugged her back. When they ended the embrace, she gave a light punch to his arm with a smirk before they shared a laugh and parted ways.

_'You better come back to me, because I'm far from done with you yet Hiccup Haddock…"_

The day went by quickly and before she knew it, it was time for the Berk Pep Rally. Most of the time, the people who mainly took the stage were the cheerleaders and the kick line team. Astrid and her teammates were in uniform and were waiting on the side of the stage for their big moment. Soon enough, Principal Eskelson appeared before the microphone and cleared his throat.

"Good evening students of Berk High, how is everyone feeling today?"

The crowd cheered and roared to answer the question. The principal chuckled.

"I should have guessed how you guys would react considering you basically had a day off of school work. On a Friday no less. Anyway I've kept you guys occupied long enough I believe. Without further delay, please welcome Berk High's very own Hooligans!"

The team ran up the stage with applause, whistles, cheers, and loud clapping. The team smiled and gave the crowd their best game day chants. Then, the team fell back in to a shoulder-to-shoulder line and then the principal once again stepped up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now to announce our top three players for tonight's game! Our first player is no stranger to getting rough. She has been aggressive since she joined the team three years ago and is showing no sign of slowing down. Please give it up for Rachel Thorston!"

Ruffnut stepped forward and gave a very muscle builder pose and howled. The crowd cheered and Ruff stepped back into line.

"Our next player has been dubbed "The Unhinged Maiden" but it's not because she is crazy. No, she has been dubbed that name because like her brother, she is one skilled player on the field weaving her way through the opposing offense. Please give it up for Heather Deranged!"

Heather walked forward and blew a kiss to the crowd before a smirk came across her lips. The crowd once again cheered with some drool coming from the boy's mouths. She stepped back into line and got a look from Astrid, and she smiled in response.

"And now last but certainly not least, our captain for this year. She started out her freshman year for us with a strong spirit and desire for victory. She has the speed, endurance, and most importantly, leadership. She has the respect from every single one of her teammates and the coach. Her teammates and opposing teams have given her the title of "Valkyrie". Please put your hands together for Astrid Hofferson!"

Astrid walked forward and jumped high with her fist in the air. The crowd erupted into a state of excitement with clapping, cheering, and screaming. Then as she walked back, the crowd started to chant her nickname, which made Astrid blush deeply. Just before the principal could let Astrid speak, microphone feedback could be heard. Then the lights changed direction right to the curtains behind the team. Astrid was certainly curious, with her eyes focusing on the curtains moving and revealing the band behind the curtain. She gasped then had a wide smile on her face when it revealed the "surprise" that she would love and oh boy was she loving it. The lights showed Hiccup with a Pale Gold 1976 Greco EG900. Fishlegs was on a Purple Ernie Ball Stingray Bass, Tuffnut was on rhythm guitar playing a Black Fender American Stratocaster, and surprisingly, Dagur was on a Pearl Roadshow five piece drum kit. Dagur gave a nod to Hiccup, who then began to play the opening riff to Thunderstruck. Soon enough, the crowd began to join in with singing the crowd part in the opening. Astrid was stunned.

Eventually, Hiccup skipped to the main solo after all the other parts joined the song. Hiccup shred the solo gaining loud cheering from the audience and team, but Astrid was cheering over both. When the band ended the song, the auditorium burst into applause and cheering. Everyone in the band took a bow, and walked off. However, Hiccup was asked to stay back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please put it up for Hunter Haddock who put this surprise together for us today!"

The audience applauded and some of the girls even whistled at him, which made him blush but it made Astrid mad.

_'That's my Hiccup they are whistling at! He is mine!'_

Astrid then realized what she said and blushed a deep red. Heather looked at her and gave a look.

"What? Why are you making that look at me?" Astrid whispered.

"I thought you didn't like him like that. But it sounds like you've already marked your territory…" Heather whispered back.

Astrid blushed an even deeper shade of red and brought Heather closer to her.

"You will say nothing about what I said. I thought I said that in my head but I apparently didn't. You swear…"

"Astrid I won't say anything about what you said. I actually am happy that you found someone who I know will treat you right. Besides, if anyone is gonna tease you, it's gonna be me."

Astrid gave a look of relief, then turned her attention back to Hiccup.

"So Hunter, is there anything you would like to say to the crowd?"

"I wanted to say I'm happy that everyone enjoyed the performance and I hope I get the chance to play again for everyone!"

Before anyone knew it, Astrid asked the principal to take the microphone. Hiccup was certainly confused by this action but Astrid gave him a wink.

"I don't know about you guys, but I certainly loved that performance. Anyone wanna hear Hunter play at the game tonight?!"

The crowd went wild and before Hiccup could react, the entire crowd started to cheer for him and the band. Hiccup looked to the side and saw his bandmates giving thumbs up and big smiles. Hiccup gave a lopsided grin and walked up to the microphone.

"If that's what you guys want, then I'd be happy to do it. We will play some intro music for our team and our national anthem. You guys like how that sounds?"

The crowd once again roared with excitement and the team was high fiving each other except for Ruff who had a look of disgust on her face.

Hiccup and Astrid's eyes connected during the excitement and once again both shared the same spark the felt earlier that day. For both of them, time slowed down and they never wanted this moment to end….

**A/N: I apologize once again for such a long wait. And for those wondering why Tuffnut was in the band, it was because if you look how I wrote Tuffnut earlier, I never made him a bully for Hiccup but instead someone who could get to know him better. I hope you guys enjoyed this first part, because part two is where everything comes together!**!


	8. Chapter 7 Part 2

**A/N: Alright welcome to Riptide part 2! I know that this may have upset you guys but I hope my writing is making up for such a long wait! Now on with the game!**

Chapter 7: Riptide

It had been a few hours since the pep rally has passed and Astrid and her fellow teammates have been running drills on the field to warmup for the game. Everyone was on their toes and they certainly did not want to disappoint the coach or they would be running suicides as punishment. By the time they had finished their warmups, the sun was setting and they were starting to prep for the game tonight. As Astrid took a sip of water from her bottle, she caught Hiccup and the rest of the band, setting up on a small stage they usually have for ceremonial speeches for games later in the year. She smiled as she saw him walk over to her and give a lopsided smile with his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hey Astrid, how was warmups?"

"Well it certainly has our blood pumping and our minds focused on the game. How about you Rockstar? You ready to play for everyone tonight?"

Hiccup chuckled and gave a smile. "Yeah the guys and I are ready. All of our amps are in place and wired up. I have my two guitars here and I'm ready to make them scream!"

Astrid laughed upon hearing his response and shared a wide grin with Hiccup. She once again stared into his eyes and found herself lost in a sea of forest green. Her grin got even wider when she saw a blush appear across Hiccup's face. Hiccup cleared his throat and backed up slightly, then both he and Astrid heard a sound coming from the stage. They turned their heads and saw Snotlout playing with one of Hiccup's guitars, a white reliced Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. Hiccup was furious and marched over to the stage with Astrid following behind him. Already at the stage were Tuffnut, Dagur, Fishlegs, Heather, and Ruffnut.

"Check me out guys, I'm a guitar god!" Snotlout said.

"Put back the guitar Snot, for one it isn't yours and second you are making my ears bleed." Said Heather.

"Snot I suggest you heed my sister's words considering Hiccup will tear you a new one and then some…" said Dagur

"Pluheese what is my wimp of a cousin going to do to me, one of the toughest players on the football team?"

Before he could even let out a chuckle, Hiccup rushed him and grabbed the guitar, tossing it to Dagur who caught it without damaging it. He then swept Snot's legs, causing him to fall hard to the field and off the stage. Snot rubbed his head before a scowl appeared on his face. Before he knew it, Snot found Hiccup's boot on his chest with enough pressure to keep him from fully catching his breath and getting up. He found Hiccup's eyes staring down at him with rage inside them.

"Back away from our stage and get the fuck out of my sight!"

Hiccup lifted his boot off of Snot's chest. He then took the guitar from Dagur and put it back on its stand. With his back turned, Hiccup did not realize that Snotlout was coming behind him to cause him harm. Astrid saw what was about to happen and got worried.

"HICCUP!"

Hiccup turned around just in time to avoid Snotlout's hand attempt to grab him. Instead he caught his hand and threw him over his shoulder and back onto the field. Snot was out cold and Dagur took him to the locker room to recover and talk some sense into him. Astrid and Heather's jaws were dropped in shock and were amazed to say the least. Astrid was the first to speak up.

"Hiccup that was amazing! Why didn't you do that the other day in the hall?"

Hiccup's face turned into one of slight sadness.

"Because I don't like to hurt people. I'd take the beatings if it meant I could stop everyone else from getting hurt or put in pain.

Astrid almost had tears in her eyes. She now understood why he took every insult and beating over the years. He wanted to avoid others from getting the same treatment as he was the center of attention. She felt her heart sink a little now knowing she added to his pain. As if he read her thoughts, Hiccup walked up to Astrid and gave her a hug.

"I already forgave you Astrid, please let it go. I don't want you to beat yourself up over the past. Focus on the present so you have a better future."

The dam finally broke and Astrid cried into Hiccup's shoulder. He held her tightly against his chest until she was able to stop crying. She then let go of him and gave a punch into his arm.

"That's for making me cry."

"I'm definitely gonna need a set of armor."

The stands were packed as many students from both Berk High School and Bog Female Academy came in spirit wear to represent their soccer teams. The lights were set and shone brightly in the night, making it seem that the field was being lit up with a white star. Astrid and her team stood in-between the bleachers waiting for their entrance. She saw Hiccup and the band give a thumbs up and then the principal came to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank all the students of Berk High and Bog Academy for attending this game. Now without further delay, I would like to introduce the away team for tonight's game. Please welcome the Bog Burglars!"

A team wearing deep purple jerseys stepped out of the opposite bleachers. They took their place on the white line and awaited further instructions.

"And now let's hear it for our home team! Please welcome the Berk Hooligans!"

The home stands roared with cheers and whistles. Astrid led out her team in their dark red home uniforms to the white line. As they ran out, the band began to play Welcome to the Jungle by Guns & Roses, which gained more reactions from the crowd. Astrid led her team to the opposite white line and stopped.

"Now will everyone please rise and remove their hats for our national anthem, performed by Hunter Haddock!"

Hiccup took up his Stratocaster and played the anthem in a Jimi Hendrix style. The song featured pliantly of use of high notes and the tremolo bar. When he finished the crowds burst out in excitement and left Astrid with a large smile on her face. Truly Hiccup's skill on guitar was amazing for such a short amount of time learning the instrument.

"Now will our captains please approach each other for the coin toss. For the Bog Burglars, their captain this year is Camila Hohlt. For our own Berk Hooligans, our captain this year is Astrid Hofferson!"

Both sets of bleachers roared in excitement. Astrid approached the center where the referee was waiting with the coin. As she approached the center she took notice of the other captain. Similar to her, the Bog captain was blonde but much more of a darker/dirtier shade and was wild in appearance while Astrid's hair was in her signature braid. She was also shorter than Astrid, looking to be around 5'4. However, it was clear that she had a bigger bust, having DD in the bust while Astrid was a C but nothing to be ashamed of. As the captain approached the center. She had a lustful look and Astrid followed her gaze to Hiccup, who at the moment was messing around with the wiring on stage. When she finally was face to face with Astrid, Camila held out her hand.

"So I take it your Astrid Hofferson aka "The Valkyrie"?"

Astrid took her hand and shook it.

"Yes and I take it you're the one known as "Camicazi"?"

Camicazi smiled and chuckled a bit.

"Guilty is charged. Ready to have your ass kicked?"

Astrid grew a sly smirk.

"Not anymore…"

The coin toss ended in the Bog's favor. Astrid walked back to the bench and set her mind on annihilating the Bog. This is her last year and she is gonna be damn sure to end the Bog curse….

The game ended with a final score of 2-1 Hooligans. The teams shook each other's hands with the captains once again meeting face to face. The coach was right, as Cami's presence of the field was something that was highly unexpected. For her size, Cami was a powerhouse, constantly throwing herself into multiple situations, appearing on one end of the field then on the other end in almost the blink of an eye. However, during the game, Astrid noticed that her moves and tactics were easy to counter, as over time she saw that Cami used a pattern. Once she saw the pattern, Astrid found a way to systematically interrupt it, making the one goal they scored the only one they were going to get the entire game. As Astird approached Cami, she once again saw a lustful gaze focused on Hiccup. Astrid's face twisted in anger and when they shook hands, she applied more pressure than usual. Cami was not expecting this.

"OW! What the hell? You winning wasn't enough?!"

In a defensive tone, Astrid responded.

"Stay away from Hiccup! He isn't yours to take!"

Cami looked confused for a moment before realizing what she meant.

"Ah you mean Hunter! Well relax blondie, he isn't into me. I've already taken one shot but that doesn't mean I won't shoot again…"

Astrid's face now showed confusion.

"What the hell do you mean?!"

Cami smiled.

"You'll find out later at the party…."

Astrid demanded an answer but was picked up by her teammates who were celebrating their victory. They brought her over to the sidelines, giving high fives and pats on the back. Astrid was about to hit the showers when an announcement came on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that was an exciting game! For tonight, we have a finale in honor of the Hooligans! Please help me welcome, Thomas Thorston and Hunter Haddock back to the stage as they 'cut heads' in a guitar duel from the film Crossroads!"

The crowd cheered and the two young men walked onto the stage, each picking up their respective guitars. Tuff's black Stratocaster was quickly tuned as well as Hiccup's Greco LP. They both faced each other and gave smirks. Hiccup was the first to start off, the blues notes ringing loud and clear across the field. Tuffnut responded with notes of his own. This continued to occur until Hiccup decided enough was enough. He took off his leather jacket, revealing his muscular arms hidden beneath the leather. This certainly got attention, as many girls started to scream, much to Astrid's annoyance. Dagur and Fishlegs joined in giving a backbeat for the two guitarists. Once again, each player was responding with riff after riff, and many thought Tuffnut was going to win. However, Hiccup had something in his magic trick bag, as he then decided to play a classical piece that was difficult for even some of the best classically trained musicians: Caprice No. 5 by Nicolo Paganini. His fingers danced across the fretboard and showed no signs of fatigue or stress when playing, keeping a calm and focused composure. When he finished, the crowd erupted in cheers and Tuffnut bowed his head and put his guitar down. Hiccup had won!

Now that she saw his true abilities, Astrid had been left in pure awe. She had never seen such talent before herself in person. It was almost like he was given a gift from Bragi himself. With a bow, Hiccup put his guitar back on its stand and walked off stage. She smiled and ran over to him and he caught her and brought her into an embrace. Their friends soon joined them and started to pat him on the back and give multiple high fives.

"Way to go little brother! Your skills are most impressive!"

"My brother is right Hiccup, you fucking rock! I can't believe that was you on stage!"

Tuffnut and Fishlegs got on the ground and started bowing. Both of them were shouting in a praising voice 'WE'RE NOT WORTHY!"

Hiccup started laughing and Astrid soon followed him. Everyone eventually joined in and smiles were shared all around. However this was interrupted when an all too cocky Snotlout came into view being followed by Ruffnut.

"Congrats babe, now why don't you kiss your handsome lucky charm for helping you win tonight's game?"

Snotlout moved in and tried to give Astrid one of his signature sloppy kisses but instead Astrid gave him a swift punch to his gut, causing him to double over in pain.

"You fucking asshole, this entire day you tried to put your hands and lips and hands all over me, even after I screamed no. So let me ask you, what makes you think that I even want to look at your face right now?!"

Snotlout still had a smug look when he responded.

"I know you're trying to fight my irresistible charms babe, but it's ok to give in. Come on baby, aren't you tired?"

Astrid gave a menacing look and this finally got the job done. Snotlout rolled his eyes and took his hand and cupped her chin.

"See you later babe. Please don't be late, I'd hate to be long without you…."

Snotlout walked off and Ruffnut gave a look to Astrid before walking off in the direction of the locker room. Hiccup brought Astrid into a hug where Astrid melted into his arms before she walked into the locker room with Heather, hoping the party would help ease her mind on all of her problems.

By the time Astrid hit the showers herself, she waited until everyone was out of them. Astrid used this time to calm down and keep her emotions under control. She closed her eyes and recalled the events of the day. She thought about how horribly Snotlout had treater her throughout the day, causing her to despise him even more. She recalled the bet he made with his football friends and how heartbroken she felt in the darkness of the night. Then she remembered how Ruffnut seemed to side with him over her, making Astrid wondered how one of her closest friends could just outright defend her asshole boyfriend. She then feared the worst but quickly forced those thoughts quickly into the back of her mind. Then she remembered the words of Cami, and how she somehow knew Hiccup. Astrid's blood boiled at the image of her hitting on Hiccup. Before she shut the shower, she then had the image if Hiccup and herself in the garden, with him playing the guitar and singing with her. Then she found herself inching closer to his face until both shared a passionate kiss…..

Astrid's eyes opened wide with shock. She certainly knew that she never shared a kiss with Hiccup. She then wondered where that image would come from. It only took her moments to realize what the image was formed to tell her.

_"You've fallen for Hiccup. He is the one you've been looking for. The one you desire most…"_

Astrid shut the water off and dried herself. Once finished, she got dressed in some tight jeans which hugged her figure nicely and a top with plenty of cleavage showing with fabric covering it in a crisscross pattern. To finish her look, she put on a pair of black heel boots and a black leather jacket. Her makeup for the party was only done on her eyes, giving herself a slightly misty look. She walked outside of the school and found Heather waiting in the car with a similar but much more revealing outfit. Heather looked up from her phone.

"Once again Astrid, you look more amazing than me. Can't I ever get compliments?"

Astrid rolled her eyes and both girls laughed. The got into the car, put it in drive, and took off to the beach house…

When they arrived at the beach house, there were cars parked all along the sides of the road. The one closest to the house was Snot's Chevy Camaro. Heather parked the car and both herself and Astrid stepped out and walked inside the house. The party was already in full swing, with almost everyone having a red solo cup in their hand and music blasting though every room, the tell-tale signs of an amazing party. On the couch was the rest of the crew. On one of the couches in the room, Tuffnut sitting next to Fishlegs with Dagur was sitting next to him. The girls walked over to the boys and exchanged greetings. However, both girls realized that two were missing from their group.

"Where the hell is Snotlout? He didn't even offer to take Astrid to the party. I'm getting sick of how he is treating you Astrid. It's not fair to you at all and you deserve so much better." Said Heather

Astrid sighed and a sad look began to appear on her face.

"She is right Astrid, after how you moved during the game today, he should be kneeling before you and kissing the ground every step you walk upon!" a familiar voice said.

Astrid turned and saw Cami, in white jeans, silver heels, and a long sleeve shirt which revealed an unhealthy amount of her busty cleavage. Cami walked around and sat in a chair next to the couch the girls were sitting on. Heather was the first to speak.

"How the hell did you find out about our party? As far as I know, none of us told you."

Cami grew a sly smile and then gave a clear response.

"My mom owns this property and others like it. She rents these places out for vacations in the summer but during the beginning of the school year, many teenagers will rent these places if they or their parents are rich enough. So when I hear a party is going to occur, I already know where to go."

Everyone nodded their heads. They had no problem with her being around, especially considering her mother could probably make their lives hell if they kicked her out.

"Hey, where is the Steve Vai of Berk High? I thought he was gonna join us?" Tuffnut said.

Then as if on cue, the front door opened and everyone turned their heads and started cheering. Astrid and the rest of the crew also turned their heads, and when they did Astrid's jaw dropped at the sight before her, and her stare radiated desire and longing which no one else noticed.

Hiccup walked through the door in his signature dark brown boots and worn blue fitting jeans. He had a slate button down shirt that showed off his lithe muscular body. His hair was in his signature wild style and his forest green eyes scanned the room until he found his friends. He had his signature lopsided grin when he saw Astrid and walked over.

"Hey guys, whats…"

Hiccup stopped and stared at Cami, his face twisting into one of slight anger. Cami got up and walked over and placed a hand on his chest.

"What's the matter Hunter, aren't you going to say hello to me?" she said with a pout on her face.

"Hey Cami, what are you doing here?"

"I came to party and maybe have some fun, what else would I be here for?"

Astrid looked at Hiccup and saw his expressions as the conversation continued. She couldn't hold back her jealousy. She got up and walked over to the two. She grabbed Cami's hand and shoved it off of Hiccup.

"How the hell do you know Hiccup?!"

Cami smiled slyly.

"Hunter and I go way back, to when we were childhood friends. I used to play with him all the time until I moved to Bog. I hadn't seen him until this summer where he went to a sleepaway camp for a week. Then I got to see how much he changed." Cami said the last part with lust in her voice.

Astrid saw Hiccup tense up, and quickly grabbed his hand and held it tight. With her touch, Hiccup quickly lost all the tension he built up and his face now went clam. Both looked at each other and smiled. Then, Hiccup's phone went off.

"Hey Dad! Yes I got there safe and sound. Wait you have some important…"

Hiccups eyes went wide with excitement. He pulled his phone away from his ear.

"Guys I gotta take this call! My Dad has some exciting news to tell me. I'll be back in a bit!"

He then quickly ran out the door. Astrid looked and got a nice view of his ass.

_"He has such a nice ass! I'd love to get my hands… NO STOP IT ASTRID!"_

Astrid shook her head and Heather laughed upon seeing the action. As if she knew, Cami gave her opinion.

"It looks even nicer when he is nude…"

This got everyone's attention. Astrid went into a mixture of shock and anger. How on earth did she see Hiccup naked? She didn't…

"Did you sleep with Hiccup?!" everyone except Astrid asked.

One of Cami's friends named Sarah walked over and laughed. With tears stinging her eyes, she spoke her opinion.

"Please, give Cami some dignity. There is no way she would have slept with Hiccup. He may have changed according to what I've heard, but I'm willing to bet he is heavily slacking in all the important places."

Cami gave a look to her friend and shook her head. With a small smirk, she finally chimed in.

"He isn't and I can tell you exactly how I know…"

**_Flashback to the summer…_**

_Cami had seen how much Hunter had changed since she last saw him. He certainly was not the same little boy all those years ago. She noted how he was more muscular than before and he shot up in height. She couldn't believe it! So when she told all of her friends, they started laughing at what she said._

_"That tall drink of water was different? Yeah I guess that makes sense, but I wonder if he is a man everywhere…"_

_Cami was confused for one second until she made the connection. They were talking about his dick and they were curious considering they were all around the age of eighteen. Now that she had heard this, she too was curious._

_"Tell you what girls, how about I go find out what he is packing? I know for a fact that Hunter likes to take late night showers when no one is around. You can even wait outside to hear my report. Sound like a deal?"_

_The girls nodded but one of them showed an evil smirk._

_"We want picture evidence. Word of mouth isn't good enough for this."_

_Her friends shook their heads and set their bet into motion. Cami and her crew walked outside and hid behind a shed close to the boys' showers. Just as Cami said, running water could be heard from outside. Cami gave her friends a nod and she quietly crept inside the showers. As she approached his large shower stall, she could see the steam fogging up the mirrors in the room. She saw that Hunter's stall was not locked, probably because he thought no one would be awake and that he could take his shower without disturbance. Little did he know Cami had other plans._

_Cami was able to look inside the stall, seeing Hunter's nude ass in front of her. She giggled quietly until she began to study it more._

_"Damn that is a nice ass. Puberty really did get all the right places. Well for now until I see what he is packing in the front…" _

_As fate would have it, Hiccup began to wash his hair, so he pointed his back to the shower, tilted his head back and his eyes were closed. Cami's eyes widened as she saw what she came for._

_" .ODIN!"_

_Cami quietly took the picture for the bet, crept away, and made it outside to her friends where she relayed the details of her recon. When she showed the picture, the girls mouths dropped and Cami began to feel a sensation between her legs. She excused herself and ran back to her room, to have the wildest and hottest dreams of the summer and had the urge to satisfy herself between her slick thighs…_

**_In the present..._**

Everyone's mouths were open in shock. They couldn't believe the story Cami just said to them. Astrid's thoughts began to get dirty really fast and she quickly felt her thighs getting heavily slicked beneath her jeans.

_"Is what she saying true?! I mean Hiccup has grown up but THAT MUCH?! God the thought of him in the nude is driving me insane..."_

However, she was quickly pulled out of her thoughts and heard Tuff ask a question everyone wanted to know.

"That story is missing the answer we asked for. Did you sleep with Hiccup?!"

Cami then had a look of slight sadness on her face.

"Well the following morning, I hit on him hard. He was certainly taken back my advances. Finally I decided to tell him I saw what he was packing underneath all of that clothing. He had no idea what I was talking about, until I showed the picture of him I took in the shower. Upon seeing the results of the recon mission I did, he got angry, saying how he couldn't believe a close childhood friend like myself could basically put all of the amazing memories we had together just so he could be a one night stand. On top of that, he said that he had already fallen hard for some girl he is attending high school with. So the real reason I'm here is to find this girl he is so damn fascinated by."

"Do you still have the picture?!" Sarah asked.

Cami shook her head "I deleted it as a way for me to try and get back in his good graces. But after my greeting, I think its clear he is still upset about it."

Astrid then had a thought _"He has been friends with Cami longer than me, so why was he able to forgive me so quickly...?"_

Then all of a sudden, Hiccup came back in, a giant smile on his face.

"Guys my mom is coming home for two weeks! She says that her backing partners want her to take a little vacation and spend some time with family!"

Astrid grew a smile of her own, ran over and rushed Hiccup in a gigantic hug. With his strength, he lifted her into the air and spun around, causing the duo to laugh with pure joy. When he put her down everyone else rushed him and hugged him tight. Quickly the mood changed though when Snotlout walked into the room with a smug look on his face. He looked like he was ambushed, with his pants unbuttoned and hair a mess.

"Hey babe! What took you so long to get here?!"

Astrid quickly scanned his body and found a condom wrapper poking out of one of Snot's pockets. With her fears realized, Astrid got up and slapped Snotlout so hard he fell to the ground. With a mixture of sadness and rage, Astrid finally released her emotions.

"FOUR FUCKING YEARS MEAN'T NOTHING TO YOU SNOT! I TIRED TO BE THE BEST GIRLFRIEND FOR YOU AND YOU GO AHEAD AND CHEAT ON ME?! DID I MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?! WAS I JUST SOME PRIZE TO BE WON?! WELL THAT'S IT, WE ARE THROUGH!"

Snotlout held his right cheek and stared at her.

"WHO DID YOU FUCK HUH?! SOME CHEERLEADER?! WAS SHE GOOD ATLEAST?!"

Astrid's heart then quickly sank, when she saw Ruffnut appear out of the crowd with a similar look to Snot and wearing another smug grin.

When she walked over, Ruffnut was in a state of happiness which quickly ended when she saw Astrid with tears streaming down her face.

"How could you betray me Ruff? You are one of my closest friends! Was sex really that important to you?!"

Ruffnut then pushed the dagger in Astrid's back further in.

"Astrid this is all your fault. Maybe if you would have slept with Snotlout, this wouldn't have happened! I mean look at him, he is buff, sexy, and killer in the bedroom. He really is the biggest…" she said the last part with a smirk, which Snotlout returned.

Snotlout stood up and pulled Ruffnut into a sloppy kiss. Astrid's tears came down faster and she grabbed Heather and cried into her shoulder. Hiccup now had a storm brewing inside his chest. How could his cousin and her close friend to this to Astrid?

_"How dare they hurt Astrid?! MY ASTRID?!"_

Pulling the sinful couple apart, Hiccup turned snot around and spoke with a fierce glare.

"Stay away from Astrid from now on. I'm not gonna let you harm her anymore."

Snotlout laughed and spat back "OH YEAH?! What will you do..?"

Hiccup then gave a powerful punch to Snot's nose, causing a sickening crack to be heard over the music. Snotlout stumbled back and felt his nose feel wet. Upon touching it, he saw his fingertips covered in blood.

"Yoouu fuggin diiiicccch. Youu bbbrookke my noossee!"

Snotlout charged Hiccup and tried to land a punch. That's when Hiccup reeled his fist back and punched with so much force that it sounded like thunder. Snotlout was knocked out cold and fell back onto the couch. Everyone was in shock, especially Astrid. She ran over to Hiccup and looked into his eyes.

"Why did you do that?! After everything I did to you all those years! Why did you do that?!"

Hiccup looked into her eyes and once again she stared into the vast color of forest green.

"He hurt you, the one person I care about more than myself. I would never let anyone get away with harming you.."

She fell into his arms and they embraced each other tightly. Tears flowed out of both of their eyes and Hiccup put his hand and felt her cheek.

"Come on Astrid, I'm going to drive you home…"

**A/N: Well there it is guys! First big chapter is done. I'm sorry if some of you guys didn't enjoy it or find it well written. I'm back at college and I have been carried away with work. If you guys wanna help me improve this chapter, please do not hesitate to send me ideas or drafts. I really love hearing ways I can improve my writing. Next chapter might be a bit but I'm gonna try and upload it ASAP. See ya guys!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Brewing Storm

Hiccup held Astrid tight in an embrace. Tears were flowing from her eyes and Hiccup felt every drop on his sleeve. His hand was on her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"Come on Astrid, I'm going to drive you home…"

Astrid nodded her head and gripped Hiccup even tighter. After another minute, they let go of each other.

Heather soon came up to the pair and looked into Astrid's eyes. She was filled with concern and worry for her.

"Astrid, come on I'll take you to my place. We can get some food and…."

"No Heather. I'm asking Hiccup to drive me home. I just…."

Astrid broke down sobbing again and Hiccup pulled her back into a hug.

"I'll get her home safe I promise Heather" said Hiccup.

Heather simply nodded and Hiccup walked with Astrid to his car. While walking, Astrid suddenly felt better than she did earlier, with the feeling ever increasing.

_"__What is this feeling in my chest? Even though I had my heart broken and betrayed, I still have some good feeling in my heart."_

The two walked in the light of the full moon. About two minutes later, they saw the Mustang, waiting patiently in the shadows of the trees with light appearing between the leaves for it to be driven. When they approached the car, Hiccup opened the passenger door to his car to which Astrid chuckled.

"Such a gentleman. I bet you do this for all the girls."

Hiccup put on a small smile and rubbed the back of his head.

"Never really had the chance to do this for anyone, so consider yourself the first."

Astrid smiled with a slight blush as she sat down in the leather seat. Upon getting in, she was greeted by a scent that consisted of leather, amber and a smokiness musk, all the components that was the signature scent of Hiccup. As she had observed earlier in the week, the car's interior was just as amazing as the exterior. The black leather seats had been reupholstered by hand, clearly showing care for the car. She glanced around some more before Hiccup sat in the driver's seat. He instantly knew what she was thinking.

"You wondering how I did all of this? Well for starters it certainly took a while to get all the parts, fix them, and then modify them to make it vintage with a modern touch." Said Hiccup.

"For starters, the steering wheel is an original one, but I added power steering to the car. The speedometer and gauges are also original, but I improved the lights for the dials so it would be easier to see in the dark."

He then pointed to the center dashboard where Astrid noticed there was a radio.

"The radio is something I had to do myself. It's an original radio, but I had to modify it with a Bluetooth connection so it can connect to my phone for music and GPS. Still acts like a normal radio don't worry. The last thing I did was add an armrest with storage and added console storage."

Astrid was in awe to say the least. She never met someone who put this much work into restoring and modifying a car. Then again, there is no one else like Hiccup. She smiled at him and he returned the look. With a turn of a key, the Mustang roared to life and Hiccup pulled away from the curb and drove down the well-lighted street. About ten minutes go by and the driver and passenger had not spoken one word to each other. In his mind, Hiccup had thought that Astrid would want a few moments to herself so her mind could catch up on the events and begin to heal. He glanced from his seat and saw Astrid with a sad look on her face as she stared out the window. In the distance, the sound of thunder could be heard.

"How could he do that to me? I know I wasn't giving him my body, but how could he cheat on me? Was I not good enough for him? Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough..."

Hiccup winced upon hearing her words. His heart ached for her and wanted to take her pain. If anyone on this earth did not deserve this to happen to them, it would be Astrid Hofferson. Along with this sadness in his heart, he felt rage build up as well. Of course he always thought his cousin was a complete and total jackass, but this was something he never expected to do, something so devious that it would end up hurting another person aside from himself of course. Finally building up the courage to break the silence, he finally gave his word on the matter.

"Astrid, you need to remove these self-deprecating thoughts from your mind. What my meathead of a cousin did to you was unforgivable and is impossible to even try to justify. You had nothing to do with his actions as he is old enough to control them."

Astrid turned her head from the window to see Hiccup with his head crooked slightly in her direction. In his eyes, she found something that comforted her, something that took the pain that was on her mind for so long. She smiled and then saw Hiccup smile in response.

After another ten minutes on the road, they had reached Astrid's house. Hiccup got out of the car, walked around and opened Astrid's door. Astrid, wondering if he would do the entire act, decided to hold out her hand in a posh manor. To her surprise, Hiccup grabbed her hand and helped her out of the car. Astrid with a slight blush chuckled.

"Why thank you Mr. Haddock!"

"Anything for you M'lady." He bent over and pretended to kiss her hand.

They both chuckled as they approached her front door step. As they turned to each other, both stared into each other's eyes. After a minute, a blush appeared on both of their faces, and Hiccup had decided to rub his neck. Astrid was the first to speak.

"Thank you for everything Hiccup. My mind is still in shock from the events, but you've helped me start healing. I just- I still can't-"

Hiccup quickly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug, one that she embraced with her heart. Hiccup then whispered to her.

"If you need anything, please just text, call, or come over. I know what it's like to be in this kind of shock and I know that once it fades then you will be at what you think is an all-time low. I will do anything to help you. Just remember that you aren't alone, please?"

Astrid looked at Hiccup and gave a soft smile. She then gave him one more hug before breaking away.

"You're just too damn amazing you know that? Thank you Hiccup. I promise I will."

With that, she unlocked her door and walked into the house, waving goodbye. Upon closing the door, she walked to the window to see Hiccup drive off. She headed to her room, fell on the bed, and cried. She didn't want him to leave, she wanted him with her. As she realized these thoughts, the growing thunderstorm became louder and louder, with flashes appearing in the sky…

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. My life took a turn and my mental health is poor. I'm sorry for the delay and I know this chapter is not as strong as it should have been. Please review and message me to help me out with editing it or rewriting it. Hopefully my absence did not push you guys away, and I can only hope you guys will come back and support me again. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Storm front

Astrid was in bed, staring at the ceiling as the downpour of rain pounded against the roof of her house. Flashes of lightning brightened the sky only to be shortly followed by rolling thunder. She had been unable to sleep since she had left the window where she last saw Hiccup. She stared at the clock that was on her nightstand, the time flashing to be 1:04 AM. She sighed and got out of bed and decided to walk over to her window. She leaned her head against the window, feeling the cold outside air just ever so slightly brush against her skin. After a few minutes, she picked her head up and walked over to her nightstand, picking up the phone connected to the charger. As she opened the lock screen, she noticed that there were notifications from Heather, Tuff, and Fishlegs. Slowly one by one, she read the messages.

She read both Fishlegs' and Tuffnut's messages first. Both went into detail how they felt terrible about what happened at the party. However, she formed a small smile where Snotlout woke up a few minutes later after Ruffnut desperately tried to wake him up. After noticing that everyone was staring at him, Snotlout and Ruffnut went to the hospital to have Snot's nose reset. Astrid chuckled to herself as she imagined Snotlout crying his eyes out as the doctor forced his nose back into place, while Ruff was holding his hand. She began to laugh harder when she realized Ruff said Snot was a prime example of what she believes to be a man. However, her laughter stopped only seconds later when she remembered the words that Ruffnut spoke earlier.

'_Astrid this is all your fault…'_

Astrid began to cry again, tears forming in her eyes as the image of Snotlout and Ruffnut's sloppy kiss played again in her brain. She dropped onto her knees, unable to stop the flow of tears, and unable to stop the shadow that was beginning to cast over her heart.

_'It's all my fault, I caused this. I LET THIS HAPPEN! I could've been bet-'_

She stopped herself as an echo played in her mind.

_'Just remember that you aren't alone…'_

She gasped and remembered the car ride home, how much Hiccup had brightened her mood, and how he was able to take away her pain, even if it was just for a short moment. With small tears still leaving her eyes, she was able to smile and let the shadow that was slowly eclipsing her heart disappear. Once she had recovered, she then decided to do something that was completely new to her. She sped down the stairs and grabbed her hoodie before walking out the door. As she walked to her destination, she didn't even feel a single rain drop as they hit her body…

_'HEY WE GOT A PULSE ON HIM! BRING OVER MORE MEN TO MOVE THE WRECKAGE!'_

_Hiccup woke up in a confused state. He remembered the blinding light, the car speeding at him, and the sound of a firetruck horn. As Hiccup opened his eyes more and more, he saw the car in front of his completely destroyed. The two front tires of the opposing car were completely off the car, with the bolts shredded and the break disc twisted into an impossible to make shape by human hands. The rubber on one tire was completely torn apart, bits scattered across the road. Both gasoline and oil were leaking from the now destroyed engine and fuel lines. Before he could examine the opposing wreckage, a hand grabbed his shoulder and a voice was heard. However, a ringing in Hiccup's hear kept him disoriented and Hiccup stared off, not noticing the sound of an ambulance making its way towards him…_

Hiccup woke up in a cold sweat with his skin pale as a ghost. He turned to his left and found Toothless at the side of his bed with a concerned stare. He gave a weak smile as he grabbed his beloved pet and held on tight. Toothless began to whimper, sensing his best friend's discomfort, but Hiccup just continued to pet him until he stopped. Upon pulling away, Hiccup was able to finally use his voice.

"I'm ok bud, I'm ok. I'm sorry to have scared you Toothless. You can go back to bed and sleep now. I'm gonna go downstairs and get something to soothe my nerves."

Hiccup got up and started to walk downstairs, with Toothless behind him. However, before exiting the room, Hiccup turned to look at his wolfdog and gave a look that said "Get some rest please, for my sake." Toothless then slightly bowed his head and whimpered, before he made his way back to his own bed.

Hiccup sighed and walked to the bathroom before walking downstairs, as he realized all too well that the temperature in the house was way too hot for his current mood. He changed his shirt to a red sleeveless shirt with the logo of The Forge on it and also put on a pair of basketball shorts. As he walked down the steps, he pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the social media from the game. He smirked when he came across the school's post of Astird's game winning goal and her team photo. The smile on her face was bright and made his heart filled with warmth. However, his face changed when he saw Ruffnut's. All the warmth left his heart as he remembered the scene that unfolded in front of him at the party. The tears streaming down Astrid's hurt face, the cocky smirk his cousin and Ruffnut had, until he wiped his cousin's smug look with a shot to his face. Hiccup closed Instagram as he reached over to the fridge and grabbed a pitcher of iced tea. He poured a glass for himself and took a sip.

After finishing his glass, he heard a knock at his door. Hiccup put down the glass before walking over to the door and opening it. In his doorway was a wet Astrid Hofferson, wearing pajama shorts and a white tank top which was now a tad transparent thanks to the downpour outside. Although she had a hoodie on, she did not have the hood up. Hiccup admired her figure for a moment, as her wet thighs and white shirt had his imagination running a tad wild, not to mention the fact that her shorts perfectly outlined the shape of her ass, which was nice and round due to her personal fitness. Gods was she beautiful, but he had to control himself as the last thing he wanted to do was lose her again.

Astrid's mind was in overdrive from the sight before her. Although she was now familiar of how much Hiccup changed over the summer, she could not help but stare at him regardless of previous views. She saw his well-toned muscular arms glistening with a little sweat, which did not in the least disgust her. After all, she herself sweats often due to her athletic habits, not to mention the fact that she loves a guy who doesn't mind getting a little sweaty. She also found that his leg was also muscular, possibly due to the fact that he had to re-learn how to walk with his prosthetic leg in tandem with his remaining leg, along with his workouts he did after his physical therapy, but both of his thighs were toned and muscular as much as his arms was. From looking at his chest earlier in the week, she knew that the same was said about his chest and stomach. Gods was he handsome, but she forced herself to calm down, not wanting to go down the same path that Cami did. She quickly shook her head to suppress those thoughts and looked at Hiccup's face.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up, but you did give me an open invitation and I didn't want to stay in my house with my thoughts alone."

Hiccup quickly studied her eyes and saw that they were puffy. He gave her a small smile and pulled her into a hug. Astrid's hands gripped the back of Hiccup's shirt tightly, refusing to let him go. Hiccup felt instant regret for leaving her. His gut said that she would want him to be there and comfort her, but Hiccup had second guessed himself and believed that she just wanted to be alone. Seeing her here in his arms shaking, soaked, and on the verge of tears made Hiccup feel like he let her down. After a few minutes, Astrid pulled her head away and formed a small smile. Upon looking at Hiccup, she moved her hand to cup his face and rub her thumb along his jawline. Upon feeling her touch, Hiccup was able to relax a bit, feeling that because she was here now, he could spend his time making it up to her.

"Astrid, you are always welcome here. Come inside please and make yourself at home."

He bowed slightly and moved out of the way. She giggled and walked inside to his hallway/den area. Inside was two large leather sofas and an even larger curved flat screen 4K UHD TV. The walls were adorned with pictures of the scenic views and family portraits and photos. The center table was a dark mahogany and glass table. Astrid walked over and took a seat on one of the sofas.

"Astrid, can I get you anything?"

"I don't want to be a burden, but if you have hot chocolate I'd like a mug."

Hiccup nodded his head with a smile and walked to the kitchen. Astrid looked at her phone and saw a notification pop up. It was a tropical storm warning that would be in effect the entire weekend. This worried Astrid as she did not have enough food back at the house and had to go shopping tomorrow. Not even a minute later, Hiccup came out with a steaming mug and handed it to Astrid. She took a sip and a smile appeared on her face, causing Hiccup's heart to skip a beat. He sat down on the couch next to her.

"You never went to sleep did you?"

Astrid shook her head no and took a long sip. She looked at Hiccup, noting a concerned look in his eyes but had a warmth to them. She felt safer now than she had been in a long time.

"I'm so sorry Astrid."

Astrid saw Hiccup's look turn to one of sadness. She was immediately filled with worry that she had done something wrong. She put down her mug and got up quickly. Tears started to sting her eyes.

"No I'm sorry Hiccup, I shouldn't have come over like this and force you to comfort me, especially after we just made up. Maybe I should just go…"

Astrid sped over to the door and was about to open it, but Hiccup had caught up, grabbed her hand softly but firm stopping her in her tracks. Two tears came down her face, her eyes shut afraid to look at Hiccup. He slowly turned her around. Placing both hands on her cheeks, Hiccup wiped away both tears. Astrid opened her eyes and stared into his.

"Astrid, you are not forcing anything on to me. I want to help you, I want to comfort you. When I dropped you off earlier, I felt sick to my stomach because I left you there alone instead of me staying to comfort you. I hope you can forgive me and if there is any way to make it up to you, I will do it without question."

Astrid was stunned in that moment. All she heard was her heart beating at a fast rate. Her mind raced through all of her thoughts before Hiccup's words until she recalled the storm warning that popped up on her phone. Without thinking, the words came out of her mouth.

"Can I stay with you this entire weekend? There is a tropical storm coming and I don't want to be alone again…"

It took only a few seconds for Hiccup to open his eyes wide, think about what was just said, and give his response.

"Of course M'lady…"

**A/N: I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. If you think there are any changes needed to be done for the sake of the characters or a simple spelling mistake, please message me. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to review it.**


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